Additions to the Kit of Parts

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Posted by Mike McIntyre.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #1, Juggernaut, from Oakland Technical Center Northeast and 3 Dimensional Services.

Posted on 5/15/2000 12:20 AM MST


In Reply to: Additions to the Kit of Parts posted by Ryan Shanley on 5/14/2000 11:10 AM MST:



We had an incredibly generous donation to the kits by SMC and yet few teams used the pneumatics because they couldn't afford the weight. We couldn't afford it (when you've already invested a huge portion of your weight on the source of electric power, it's hard to accomodate another power source). I think that a nice twist next year would be to write in the rules that each robot is limited to 6 electric motors, but there would be no limit to pneumatic accuators; this would definitely 'inspire' teams to take a serious look at using pneumatics and thereby opening up the topic of fluid power to the masses.


: I was disappointed this year that there weren't many new surprises in the kit of parts. I don't know about you, but I enjoy when FIRST pops something new in there for us to find uses for.

: I remember a few years ago when they added the Yaw Rate (Giro) Sensor, and students from many teams (including my brother and I) were inspired to explore its many applications. A student from GRT, team #192, wrote a great paper on how to use the sensor with applications in stabilization, angular measurement, and angular acceleration; he also explained how he helped his team apply these to their robot to control its arm and keep it from tipping. I've used the paper countless times in the past few years in designing our electronic subsystem.

: well, I look forward in hope that next year FIRST can give us something new (besides a huge pneumatic tank) to further inspire us and give us more engineering aspects to work with. Good luck to those still competing (I am in serious 'Rumble at the Rock' withdrawal)!

: ryan