BattleBots Return - And They're Powered by VEXpro!

[paul_v]

Originally Posted by dodar

I saw a youtube video for Battlebots where one of the tv guys went around to each of the pits and talked to the builders. When he came to you, you said that you put magnets on your tracks to get better traction in the arena. Did you do that after you saw the arena or was that a pre-designed/pre-knowledge of the arena decision?

I have used magnets to help hold my robot to the arena floor since 2004. Many others have done this before me too, not my own original idea.

The floor of the Battlebox has always been steel, with traction paint, and Robogames etc also have steel floors.

However, the magnets in Bite Force are not adding a whole lot of additional downforce. There wasn't time to properly tune or test that, or the entire robot. The robot was only finished the night before, no driving testing on steel.

The tank treads are primarily for TV. They look cool, and people like them, that is it! For engineering purposes, they are horrible. Heavy, expensive, time consuming to make, single point of failure, etc.

But... tank treads are neat, and Battlebots is an entertaining show for the masses! I want their to be a toy made with tank treads for Happy Meals.

-Paul Ventimiglia