Thread: "Open Source" Drive Systems
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Unread 23-06-2007, 16:08
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Re: "Open Source" Drive Systems
I don't usually contribute to these discussions, but I think I have a tidbit to add.

What a team gets out of this library will depend entirely on what they're looking for. If someone comes in looking for a drivetrain for their robot, that's what they'll get. If another comes in looking for inspiration, that's what they'll get. It's all dependent on their attitude.

What this tool will hopefully do is level the playing field. Teams currently have 3 options: the kit drive, AndyMark, or their own designs. The first 2 categories cover tank drive almost exclusively. If you want any kind of holonomic drive (omni, crab, meccanum, kiwi, etc), you pretty much have to do all the R&D yourself. That's a lot of work. This allows the less-than-juggernaut teams to get some of this.

The key to making this work is that everyone contributes somehow. It doesn't have to be CAD'd to perfection. Decent pictures, CAD, ASCIIart are all acceptable. If someone else can readily make it w/o much trouble, then it's acceptable.

My $.02.