Electromagnets to pick up tetra?

[dan_h]

Actually, an electromagnet probably wouldn't adversly affect the robot controller. The controller is designed entirely using solid state devices (no magnetic storage), so it should be immune to any magnetic field that could be generated by a FIRST robot.

[Racer26]

I'm pretty sure Dan is correct... An electromagnet wouldn't hurt the controller... think about all your motors... CIM's in particular... they generate a HUGE EMF field (we were messing about with a compass one year and they messed it up)... but they dont hurt the controller, even when placed side by side. I'm pretty sure magnets are harmless to the controller.

[Wetzel]

Per the 2005 Part Use Flow Chart, from page 14 of Section 5 The Robot, electromagnets are not allowed.

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

An electromagnet is by definition a solenoid, i.e. a coil of wire, wound around a form, that induces a manetic field by the introduction of electricity, to attract another metalic object.

Wetzel

[Mike Ciance]

even if the magnets are completely harmless, the only metal on the tetras are the bolts. an electro magnet would use power, and a regular magnet would present the problem of getting stuck to other robots. there is definitely a possibility of a megnet being used (if legal), but just make sure you design the mechanism good

[xxerin]

I think an electromagnet on the arm may be able to be pulled off(providing its legal) but its just not practical.

[russell]

There shouldnt be anything in the robot controller that could be dammaged by a magnet. The data in the controller is stored in an EEPROM which you have to access through a serial connection in order to erase. Thats what I think at least. What I know is that they designed the field with magnets in it, and plus, I have personally run a chiwopuha motor (electromagnets make motors go) on top of a robot controller just to make sure nothing happens, and it doesnt.

[Aignam]

In any event:

Originally Posted by Wetzel

Per the 2005 Part Use Flow Chart, from page 14 of Section 5 The Robot, electromagnets are not allowed.


Wetzel

There's not much more discussion to be had on the topic.

[Ryan M.]

Originally Posted by Mouse

Didn't the construction manual show them being made out of a sort of plastic material?

The models at our area were made out of metal though...

Maybe I'm mistaken?

The small, scoring tetras are made of plastic (PVC). The larger goals (which you place the tetras on top of) are constructed of metal. There was a few changes relatively close to kickoff (apparently), so maybe your kickoff site or whatever used slightly outdated instructions.

[vtrehan]

The first thought in my after watching the videos was electromagnets, but now i am pretty certain its not the best way to go. Mainly because it will draw too much current and drain lots of power (snatching it from the motors), the electronic noise it will create has to be monitored using some H-bridges or something similar to save the motors, because it will hurt that for sure, thus increasing needless complexity. Also the magnetic grip wont be as powerful as you want it to be.

It would be pretty cool if some teams could actually use it effectively, so good luck to them.


Vivek.

[Anchi]

Originally Posted by xxerin

I was wondering if we could use an electromagnet to pick up the tetra?

the FIRST tetras will not have bolts, they will be glued together in some manner, so far as i was informed.

[Denman]

whilst they wont pick up the tetras, they could be useful in that you could hold the tetra in teh game by using an electromagnet to close a grip, but also when you turn the power off, the electromagnets will also go off and iwll fullfill the part of the rules for "you must be able to remove a tetra from
a robot which is deactivated"

[Anchi]

"Per the 2005 Part Use Flow Chart, from page 14 of Section 5 The Robot, electromagnets are not allowed."

the further discussion of this topic is futile.