[FTC]: Opinion on lifting robots

[ksafin]

Originally Posted by Wiifi

You need to have a score to be doubled... In which case you need a robot that can not only sort rings, and score them on the corner post but also a robot that can score on the center posts.

In the perfect alliance I see on robot which can lift other robots and sort rings... While the other robot concentrates on the center posts. In the end game one robots lifts the other, it really all depends on how efficiently you can score rings.

I know you need a score to be doubled.

I really don't see any reason for not having a robot that can't differentiate between the two rings. If you grab it with a small claw that's about the size of a diameter, have a "subclaw" of that claw. Hard to explain in text, but here:



You just have a subclaw within a claw. You grab the rings with the top part of the claw, but the sub claw has a tolerance of 2 oz (this can be made more) and if the rings is heavier it will drop. Easy indicator of the weight and it takes little to no space in an existing claw.

[ehochstein]

Originally Posted by ksafin

I know you need a score to be doubled.

I really don't see any reason for not having a robot that can't differentiate between the two rings. If you grab it with a small claw that's about the size of a diameter, have a "subclaw" of that claw. Hard to explain in text, but here:

You just have a subclaw within a claw. You grab the rings with the top part of the claw, but the sub claw has a tolerance of 2 oz (this can be made more) and if the rings is heavier it will drop. Easy indicator of the weight and it takes little to no space in an existing claw.

I like the idea! (Although I hope that 2 pound spec is a mistake... I don't think the rings weigh two pounds

I was thinking something very similar to that, in a two minute period are you going to be able to go through every single ring though?? There are 26 per alliance. You would pretty much have to pick a ring up, and set it down if it wasn't weighted. You wouldn't have time to score it.

[ksafin]

Originally Posted by Wiifi

I like the idea! (Although I hope that 2 pound spec is a mistake... I don't think the rings weigh two pounds

I was thinking something very similar to that, in a two minute period are you going to be able to go through every single ring though?? There are 26 per alliance. You would pretty much have to pick a ring up, and set it down if it wasn't weighted. You wouldn't have time to score it.

Yeah, that's true.

I'm just throwing around ideas for now but I like this as a way to sort rings because it's quick and embedded in the actual claw.

To be honest, I was really looking toward having a claw capable of picking up multiple rings. Like either 2 or 3. In this case, you obviously have to adjust the tolerance to say, 6 oz.

But at this point its a matter of being able to take one off at a time.

Lots of things to think about, but it's a very viable idea. Physics behind it is simple enough too.

[LeelandS]

Lifting robots doesn't seem that hard to me. Well, depending on how high you want to go.

You could go the FRC2007 route, where many teams built a ramp system that leads to a flat top. As long as the angle of the ramp isn't too steep, many robots shouldn't have a problem. With that, I can't imagine it would be hard to get your partner up at least 1" for the bonus. Maybe even a few inches more. I wonder how feasible it would be to create a series of inclines to achieve further height...

That said, if you want to go higher, matters get a little tricky. You could use the ramp system mentioned above, and build in some kind of elevation system (like a scissor lift). Though that could quickly become heavy and complicated if you want the stability to hoist a robot 24" in the air.

The matter certainly requires some thought. From my side of things, the FRC2007 ramp system seems like a simple and effective way of getting the robot. It can also leave room for a team to develop a method of scoring rings. The lifting of robots sounds like a fun end game, and is certainly possible.

Here's to hoping we don't see any 24" topples...

[kiasam111]

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvmyemana30

A combination of that and the crazy lifting mechanisms that we saw in Bowled Over could be a fantastic combination!

[ksafin]

Ooh, does stacking count as lifting?