View Single Post
  #29   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 05-01-2009, 00:40
JagWire's Avatar
JagWire JagWire is offline
Team 1742 College Mentor
AKA: Tim Long
FRC #1742 (Shockwave)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Rookie Year: 2006
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 41
JagWire has a spectacular aura aboutJagWire has a spectacular aura about
Send a message via AIM to JagWire
Re: Crab Steering on Regolith

I'm also very interested in some sort of crab drive for several reasons.

First of all, using a style of steering such as a tank drive, requires skidding to turn, automatically meaning you lose something like 20% of your traction. By utilizing a crab-drive style steering it could allow you to turn without skidding more easily.

It would also allow for a lot of flexibility, since just because you have the capability of turning each wheel, it doesn't mean you have to. I can see where multiple drive setups could be tested by modifying the way the controls operate. Three main ideas that have crossed my mind so far are a conventional car steering, a simulated tank-drive, and also a monster-truck type steering. All things that could be played around with.

I think that flexibility could be a very useful this year, as it may aid drivers to a great extent in being able to attain good control.
__________________
Team 1742: Shockwave
2006 Robot "Sprocket"
2007 Robot "Rampzilla"
2008 Robot "Trigonosaurus"

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam.
I'll either find a way or make one.

www.team1742.com
Reply With Quote