Universal Robot Connector

[eshteyn]

Good idea guys, one enormous problem you are all over looking. WEIGHT, Complexity of a latch of that type, and where the location of this latch would be on both robots. Also there are ways to lift the robot(s) using a smooth motion without much strain on the mechanics, so if done properly there is no need for a locking latch.

[Uberbots]

it sounds like a fantastic idea... but i dont know if i like it. i mean, what would we do if neither team in our alliance followed the standard? This solution is pretty much an all-or-none sort of thing- it only works if everyone participates.

We are just trying to come up with an assumes standard that makes use of what we can trust that every robot will have.

[usbcd36]

My captain and I have been bouncing ideas off of each other for a few hours, and if any of them succeed, getting the full 60 points should be relatively easy. The simplest way to determine if your robot could possibly get off the ground is if it would be able to climb a ramp, similar to the one in last year's competition. I can't exactly go into details about how it works (the specifics are yet undetermined), but I'll see what I can do once we've worked out some preliminary designs on paper and in Inventor.

[JamesBrown]

You really wont have much luck with this, look at the teams that have replied, they are from all over. The odds of you getting more than a team or two at you regional to adopt this plan are very slim. You would be much better off trying to develop a universal method to lift any robot you are assigned to work with. It is much easier for your one team to figure out a way to adapt to every one else that it is to get every other team to adopt one design. YOur idea is great in theory but I don't see it working in reality

[Lil' Lavery]

If you were planning on latching onto something, I'd suggest making it latch onto some sort of simple bar. Then bringing a bunch of those bars to your regional, and offering them to every single team who has the weight to put them on.

[Gerb4L]

Great idea guys! I have a question though: if a robot were to lift an alliance member by pushing up from below would this still count for the points? I was wondering because you have all seemed to be concentrating on lifting from above. I believe that pushing up from below would greatly simplify the problem.



-Gerb4L

[eshteyn]

Originally Posted by Gerb4L

Great idea guys! I have a question though: if a robot were to lift an alliance member by pushing up from below would this still count for the points? I was wondering because you have all seemed to be concentrating on lifting from above. I believe that pushing up from below would greatly simplify the problem.



-Gerb4L

Well our team decided how to lift the robot from the bottom and believe it or not the solution to this is seen at every regional event, as well as in every single car in the united states.

[eshteyn]

Also, there is no need for a latch. If you can make your lifting bot lift the alliance member in a smooth motion then you will not have to have a latch. the weight of the robot will be enough to hold him on you lifting surface, and if anything else the other team can thrust forward in order to keep the robot tight on your lifting plane.

[Sidney San Martín]

It was easy just after kickoff, with that crazy image from the animation in our minds, to immediately think of a latch. Some kinda ramp may end up being much more versatile, maybe one which raises to horizontal after the robot has driven onto it.

[nparikh]

Originally Posted by Sidney San Martín

It was easy just after kickoff, with that crazy image from the animation in our minds, to immediately think of a latch. Some kinda ramp may end up being much more versatile, maybe one which raises to horizontal after the robot has driven onto it.

Aha! But a ramp that can lift 240lbs? (2x120lb robots in theory)

[Sidney San Martín]

Originally Posted by nparikh

Aha! But a ramp that can lift 240lbs? (2x120lb robots in theory)

An arm would do better?

Originally Posted by mehul

lol i had exact same idea its the simplest and yet it would work with any robot that moves without additional requirements.

Someone just say it so it's out in the thread for discussion.

[TD78]

Originally Posted by nparikh

Aha! But a ramp that can lift 240lbs? (2x120lb robots in theory)

Or even as high as ~300#?

[120# + 13# (battery) + 15# (bumpers)]*2 = 296#

I think we will probably see more ramps than arms...can you imagine a robot trying to lift another robot and seeing it tip over? I'm positive (and hopeful) that teams would think about such a scenario beforehand, but I don't see going through all the trouble when a ramp is easier to build.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by nparikh

Aha! But a ramp that can lift 240lbs? (2x120lb robots in theory)

Way back in '02, we had three goals to play with. each weighed over 200 lbs and there were several robots that would lift two. Of course that was only to transfer the weight to your wheels for traction so we didn't have to go quite so high, but it is doable. It is only a matter of how long you want to take

ChrisH

[mehul]

Originally Posted by eshteyn

Well our team decided how to lift the robot from the bottom and believe it or not the solution to this is seen at every regional event, as well as in every single car in the united states.

lol i had exact same idea its the simplest and yet it would work with any robot that moves without additional requirements.

[PhilBot]

Originally Posted by Gerb4L

Great idea guys! I have a question though: if a robot were to lift an alliance member by pushing up from below would this still count for the points? I was wondering because you have all seemed to be concentrating on lifting from above. I believe that pushing up from below would greatly simplify the problem.
-Gerb4L

I agree, lifting from below would be mechanically simpler, since you could get leverage directly off the ground. You need to distribute the lift so the other robot stays ballanced (maybe 3 or 4 lift points).

All the rules say is the the lowest point of the other robot must be 4+ or 12+" off the ground.