Help Brainstorm New VEX Robots for TV!

[InnovationFirst]

VexLABS and RadioShack are constructing some new Vex machines to feature on TV.
These new machines will appear in a variety of promotional spots ranging from 30 second advertisements to longer running features on talk-show type programs.


We are looking for help in coming up with these new designs.

• What cool robots would you like to see built?
• What would a high school age student find interesting and cool?
• What robots do you think would help showcase the versatility of the Vex kit?

Some of these ideas may end up on TV. We are open to all brainstorms, any ideas submitted are greatly appreciated.

Time is critical; there is only a window of a few days to submit ideas before construction must begin. So let us know what you want to see, as soon as possible!

Thanks,
VexLABS & Innovation First, Inc.

[Alex Cormier]

How about a robot for the average dorm room for college? One that can hold a drink, bring the remote around the dorm, close the door, turn on the TV/xbox, little area for books and such. I would look cool if it had the tank tracks like these . possibly have an upper section that raises up so the student can have an area to work on. and possibly an area to plug stuff into like a light or such.

sounds fun!

[EricH]

Design a VEX bot to act as a carrier. Make it so it can carry two or three textbooks at a time.

[Billfred]

CD case grabber, anyone?

[ChrisH]

Any one of a number of fetch and carry tasks. JVN probably got the most "important" one already though.

I was thinking about developing a programmable cat feeder. One that would "issue" a kibble at a time with the interval set so that our cat would get the proper amount of food every day while we are gone. I think the "feed" rollers in the kit are just about right for this. But I'd need a programing module. I'd probably also need to be able to plug it in or the batteries will run down too soon.

A "counter defense system" that targets four footed trespassers on kitchen counters might also be fun. Of course all projectiles/annoyances are just that annoyances. We wouldn't want to actually hurt Fluffy now would we? We just want to her to understand that she is NOT supposed to be there. Again a programming module would probably be needed. So would a means of distingushing between cats and people or risk getting shot at, sprayed, or whatever.

A mechanical coin sorter.

An "alarm clock" that starts the coffee machine, loads and starts the toaster and microwaves a scramble egg. (could be multiple machines)

Maybe I'll think of more later.


Would I be able to participate in building one of these things? Where do I sign up?

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

An "alarm clock" that starts the coffee machine, loads and starts the toaster and microwaves a scramble egg. (could be multiple machines)

Maybe something like this VEX hot dog robot?

[Rich Kressly]

I love the dorm room bot, but alas I'm too old. How about one that changes diapers?

1. More seriously, I always think swerve drive is cool to see. So something that delivers, picks up, returns objects using swerve drive.

2. Maybe a bot that fetches the morning newspaper

3. How about something that shoots nerf balls in a basket? Projectiles are cool.

I'd love to hear ideas from Tytus, Arefin, and the others here who have spent time with the Vex kit too.

[dlavery]

How about a robot that picks up all the little leftover VEX pieces after you build the "Squarebot" in the VEX documentation, and then neatly packs them away in that annoying styrofoam packaging that requires five hands to manipulate without having everything fall out all over the floor again.

-dave

[Alex Cormier]

possibly something that interacts with younger children? plays catch with a nerf ball as Rich Kressly said in a previous post. that would also be cool to see.

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by dlavery

How about a robot that picks up all the little leftover VEX pieces after you build the "Squarebot" in the VEX documentation, and then neatly packs them away in that annoying styrofoam packaging that requires five hands to manipulate without having everything fall out all over the floor again.
-dave

You really should see someone for that anger, and it's funny you bring up foam tiles because I had a few questions ...
I should run now, shouldn't I?

I thought of one more for the high school age group. A robot that can cut a slice of pizza, plate it, and deliver it without causing cheese erosion would rock.

[foobert]

how about a robot that will follow a squarebot built according to the instructions around and pick up the wheels as they come off.

or my personal obsession, the two wheeled self balancing robot, maybe done with ir range sensors, but preferably with a gyroscope and an accelerometer. then have someone stop by my place and explain the filtering and pid to me.

[Adam Y.]

Originally Posted by dlavery

How about a robot that picks up all the little leftover VEX pieces after you build the "Squarebot" in the VEX documentation, and then neatly packs them away in that annoying styrofoam packaging that requires five hands to manipulate without having everything fall out all over the floor again.

-dave

Im probably the only person who actually likes the little box that the kit came in. Im the ultimate klutz and I managed to get everything back into the box after I took it out. .

[niafabo]

oh i think that a bug like robot would be interesting. it would definately show the versitilaty of the kit and would also be very attractive to both high school students and teachers.

[Arefin Bari]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

I love the dorm room bot, but alas I'm too old. How about one that changes diapers?

1. More seriously, I always think swerve drive is cool to see. So something that delivers, picks up, returns objects using swerve drive.

2. Maybe a bot that fetches the morning newspaper

3. How about something that shoots nerf balls in a basket? Projectiles are cool.

I'd love to hear ideas from Tytus, Arefin, and the others here who have spent time with the Vex kit too.

I haven't seen this thread until I searched for my own name. Thank you Mr. Kressly for bringing up my name. I will have to agree with you on the swerve drive. I have seen a robot that John was working on (vex) that was swerve, very cool looking. It would be nice to see vex robots that clones great robots of FIRST of all time (few examples, team 67 (2005), team 45 (2004), Team 217, 229 (2005), there are many more robots I could point out which were awesome). these are just few of my favorite time robots.

The reason I didn't point out any all timer great push robots are because when students (elementary and middle school) looks at small robots, they like to see the robot do something. It would be pretty cool to see a vex robot gather white cups into one place. It would be also cool to watch two vex robot going at each other (something like battlebots). When I first looked at few of the videos from vex, I was amazed by the one kit swerve, the ribbon cutter, the ping pong ball shooter. I am sure that I am missing out a lot of things.

Tytus... you got anything?

[skimoose]

What about a holonomic drive out-maneuvering a dog carrying a dog biscuit. I know our family dog and my son's Vex have reached an uneasy truce.