Which Robot Do You Think should be King Of The Hill

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally posted by Mark G
It is still really cool!!

I know team 68 uses rotations as well. Have you guys discovered how to calculate if you lose traction or if you are being pushed? Are you monitoring voltage draw? Also why do you guys use two light sensors on the same wheel? Do you guys have a problem with feedback time and the processor processing it fast enough? I guess I am just full of question for team 111 tonight... lol Great Bot as always

Lot's of questions...
1. We use two sensors placed so that their outputs are 90 degrees apart. This allows you to get accurate counting and direction info. If you bump into something or get pushed, the info is still valid and the auto mode will try to correct.
2. We do not worry about traction or loss of grip with the floor. We observed that our wheel design kept a good grip on all surfaces and the system we use (Now known as StangPS or Stang Positioning System) was able to position the robot anywhere we tell it to go within + or - 6". If auto mode was for a longer duration or over vastly different surfaces we would have to rely on other methods of determining distance traveled.
3. We are not yet employing our StangeSense current monitoring although all of the electronics are there. We are doing so well on current draw that we can easily run three or four matches on a battery. (We don't tempt fate that much though.)
4. We use an outboard processor (HC08 at 9 MHz) on the custom circuit board. It takes input from the gyro, wheel sensors, steering sensors and produces commands for the RC.
5. We have a variety of preprogrammed auto runs, 11 of which are available to be selected from the operator interface. We are also working on a Palm Pilot interface which would allow us to draw on the Palm (overlay of the playing field) where we want the robot to go and then load that into the processor. We showed some of that system in our pit at Midwest Regional via video tape.
This is geting a little involved, I will leave it up to the moderators as to whether to channel this into it's own thread. See you all in Houston.