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Unread 10-04-2003, 21:38
Jnadke Jnadke is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by KenWittlief
GPS is now accurate to within a few feet

Im willing to bet you could win this challenge with an automatic tranny jeep, an extra fuel tank

and the stuff that came in the FIRST kit of parts

it would be easy to use the smaller motors in the kit to servo the gas, brakes, steering, shifter on an automatic jeep

all you need to add is a GPS unit, plot your course

and figure out what to do with the $1M prize

obstical avoidance? not required - padded bumpers

cant tell you how many times our bot slammed the wall, railing, operators station during testing and matches - the trick is you have to bounce back far enough to get a good running start again

:c)

A few feet can mean the difference between being on the cliff and being off the edge of the cliff.... how about we add a human element and put you in that jeep? Not so sure now, are we?


Here's a few things to consider for those who are still serious (my post was bring out the reality and see if you really were intent on doing this):

1. The raw distance between Las Vegas and Las Angeles is 400 miles. This distance could be longer depending on the course. Most SUV's only average 20 mpg, so you'd need lots of fuel.

2. This distance has to be covered in 10 hours, including refill time. The vehicle is going to have to be travelling at 30-40 MPH on average.

3. Vehicles built for off-road are key. Anything that competes is going to have to be built to last. 250 miles of off-roading is not good for an open gearbox (like most FIRST robots). Large vehicles (such as a Jeep/SUV) have a disadvantage on curvy roads where they may need to traverse it slower than smaller, wider vehicles.


Just a few ideas... Obviously whatever system is used will probabaly look much like a dune buggy. A small, lightweight vehicle that has a wide wheelbase so that it can turn through tight corners. You'll want large tires and a suspension. Fuel economy is key. Electric motors won't provide the distance if they're solely powered by batteries. A gas/diesel system would be much more difficult to create, but it would provide a much better energy density for the fuel. Lastly, sensors are a big part. Ultrasonic object detection and avoidance at minimum probabaly. More sophisticated systems would include GPS, topographical course plotting system, or an optical sensing system.




I'm beginning to think it might be easier to break into Columbia/Tristar Studios and steal Johnny Five (Short Circuit).
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