Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype

[gmendel]

Our prototype for the ball collector on our robot for the 2012 Rebound Rumble game is finished! Check it out:

Click here to see the awesomness!

Made with PVC and surgical tubing, and narrarated by the Great and Powerful Ryan Fuller!

(I'm the one in the red sweatshirt btw)

Looks great! However, I have a few questions:

Where would you have that on your robot? (middle, very front, etc)

If it's in the very front, are you aware that those multiple pieces of surgical tubing count as multiple appendages extending out of the drive base?

For the sake of this really awesome ball roller, please double check that to make sure it's legal! I'd hate to have something so awesome rack up penalties for you every time you use it.

[Duke461]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

If it's in the very front, are you aware that those multiple pieces of surgical tubing count as multiple appendages extending out of the drive base?

RO2:
D: any appendage may not extend more than 14 in. beyond the frame perimeter

Unless I'm missing something obvious here, please explain why:
a. each of those pieces of surgical tubing count as separate appendages,
b. you can't have multiple appendages that aren't extending past 14 inches.

Originally Posted by Duke461

Unless I'm missing something obvious here, please explain why:
a. each of those pieces of surgical tubing count as separate appendages,
b. you can't have multiple appendages that aren't extending past 14 inches.

A) They are not connected, and therefore are considered separate when they extend beyond the frame perimeter.

B) I may have misunderstood, but I thought it doesn't matter the length of an appendage if multiple are out of the frame perimeter.

If What you said in B) is true, then I take back my original post, and will proceed to implement this design on our robot.

If not, then I'll go read the game rules another time. I'll probably do that anyways, since "A game rule a day keeps the robot inspector away!"

[jason701802]

[G21]

Robots may extend one appendage up to 14 in. beyond a single edge of their frame perimeter at any time.
Violation: Foul for exceeding size allotments; Technical-Foul for continuous or repeated violations.

Blue box:

These appendages are intended for use in manipulating Basketballs and/or Bridges. A Robot may have multiple extension devices onboard, but only one may be deployed at a given time.

[Duke461]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

A) They are not connected, and therefore are considered separate when they extend beyond the frame perimeter.

B) I may have misunderstood, but I thought it doesn't matter the length of an appendage if multiple are out of the frame perimeter.

If What you said in B) is true, then I take back my original post, and will proceed to implement this design on our robot.

If not, then I'll go read the game rules another time. I'll probably do that anyways, since "A game rule a day keeps the robot inspector away!"

I see no reason why an inspector would count them as separate appendages. They aren't really extending, and if anything, the roller itself then becomes an appendage. In addition, i think it would just be cruel to consider those separate appendages.

Originally Posted by jason701802

[G21]

Robots may extend one appendage up to 14 in. beyond a single edge of their frame perimeter at any time.
Violation: Foul for exceeding size allotments; Technical-Foul for continuous or repeated violations.
Blue box:
These appendages are intended for use in manipulating Basketballs and/or Bridges. A Robot may have multiple extension devices onboard, but only one may be deployed at a given time.

whoops completely forgot about that rule. I probably shouldn't post on CD so assertively when I'm sick

Originally Posted by Duke461

whoops completely forgot about that rule. I probably shouldn't post on CD so assertively when I'm sick

It's alright. Hope you feel better! It's not very productive to be sick in the middle of build season, you know.

[jason701802]

Originally Posted by Duke461

I see no reason why an inspector would count them as separate appendages. They aren't really extending, and if anything, the roller itself then becomes an appendage. In addition, i think it would just be cruel to consider those separate appendages.

As much as I agree with you, this has yet to be clarified by the GDC/Q&A, and until such time, it would good to keep a backup in mind.

I think I have a way to keep this "legal".

Get sets of surgical tubing and glue/zip-tie them together so they become one wide strand. Make 4 of these, and place each set 90 degrees apart from each other on the rotating rod. Each will count as one extending past the frame perimeter since they will be glued/zip-tied together, and only one set will be outside the frame perimeter at a time since they are 90 degrees apart from each other.

I don't see anything illegal with that, though like always, I could be wrong.

[gmendel]

ATTN ALL:
Our chassis will be "C" shaped with our rolling mechanism situated on the inside of the "C", therefore having none of the parts extending from the outside of the chassis, looking sort of like this:

(X marks the spot)
=======================
==wheel===wheel===wheel==
==----------------\xxxxxx/
==-----------------\xxxx/
==------------------\xx/
==------------------/xx\ <-- Balls go this way
==-----------------/xxxx\
==----------------/xxxxxx\
==---------------/xxxxxxxx\
==wheel===wheel===wheel==
=======================

Cruddy ascii art is cruddy, lol.

I hope that answers any questions you had!

[TheGuyz]

I was wondering what mechanism is driving the ball collecting device. Like what kind of motors you are using and if you are using a gear box.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

If it's in the very front, are you aware that those multiple pieces of surgical tubing count as multiple appendages extending out of the drive base?

Please do not state things like this as if you know they are fact. The only fact is that this is not true until you see it asked and answered in the Q&A.

Don't assume that you know what appendage is defined as.

[Siri]

For those who haven't seen it:

Originally Posted by Q&A, approx 12:52pm, 20 Jan 2012

There is no formal definition of appendage; however, a colloquial definition is "a subordinate part attached to something; an auxiliary part; addition" (courtesy of dictionary.com). To elaborate, an appendage is a contiguous assembly that may extend beyond the Frame Perimeter per Rule [G21].

emphasis mine. (Interpret as you will.)

[gmendel]

Originally Posted by TheGuyz

I was wondering what mechanism is driving the ball collecting device. Like what kind of motors you are using and if you are using a gear box.

We're using two Fisher Price motors, although it is reeeally over powered, so we will try and change that.

Also, everyone else, calm down about the technicalities. We are all trying our best to follow the rules, and if they break any, we will fix it. It's all part of the design process and is not something to get super worked up over. It's just a game

[militaryrobot]

Good design. Looks like it will work at any angle.