Strecher Problems!

[archiver]

Posted by Kyle Fenton at 2/19/2001 11:48 AM EST


Student on team #121, Islanders, from Middletown High School and NUWC.



Can any team tow the stretcher with a robot on it
that can make it over the bridge, alone?

I have seen and heard that towing the stretcher is
hard for a number of reasons.

1. Its heavy, you have to have a tough enough
machine that can tow it just on the floor.

2. The stretcher is almost the same width as the
ramp, so as a result you have to be pin-point
accurate, otherwise a wheel will fall off the side
and it would be stuck.

3. You can't take the stretcher under or over the bar.

4. Finally, most of the time, the stretcher w/ a robot
has more weight than your robot, So even if you get
your robot to the edge of the other side of the
bridge, the bridge would not flip over to the other
side.

5. The robot can easily fall off the stretcher. In the
end not getting up at all.

The only solution I have figured out is that some
robot has to first be on the other side and push us
down, or a robot on the other side lifts us up, so
the bridge flips over.

This however would take 3 out of the 4 robots time
out of the competition, just for 10 points. I would
rather get 10 small balls or one big ball, to make
up for that. And the robot balancer would take one
or two goals to get the multiplier, and the multiplier
for stopping the match ahead of time. That is
where you are going to get the big points.

However getting back to the stretcher, if a team
plans smartly, and only puts a metal bar or
something light on the stretcher, and not their
entire robot. It would be very possible to get us 10
points.

So the best solution, only use the stretcher when
you have to. If you have to use the stretcher, take a
spike or a metal bar from your robot, and strap it
down with duct tape.

[archiver]

Posted by Charlie at 2/19/2001 12:36 PM EST


Student on team #222, Tigertrons, from Tunkhannock Area High School and Ronco Machine - NEPATPC.


In Reply to: Strecher Problems!
Posted by Kyle Fenton on 2/19/2001 11:48 AM EST:



Our team can do it, 4-wheel drive - Low Range

The robot we pulled on the stretcher was exactly 130.0 lbs as weighed by FIRST. We tested it several times, didn't seem to have any major problems.

: Can any team tow the stretcher with a robot on it
: that can make it over the bridge, alone?

[archiver]

Posted by julia walsh at 2/19/2001 2:02 PM EST


Other on team #191, XCATS, from Wilson Magnet School and xerox.


In Reply to: Strecher Problems!
Posted by Kyle Fenton on 2/19/2001 11:48 AM EST:



: XCats can tow a stretcher and robot across the bridge as well.

[archiver]

Posted by Jon - T190 at 2/19/2001 5:54 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy of Math and Science and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.


In Reply to: Strecher Problems!
Posted by Kyle Fenton on 2/19/2001 11:48 AM EST:



Don't forget... back in update 4 FIRST defined the minimal components to go on the stretcher...
GM25. The "minimum robot" that may be used on a stretcher must contain the following components:
-> Battery
-> Robot Controller
-> Radio
-> Rotating Light
-> Associated Wiring, Circuit Breakers, and Fuse Panel
-> Team Name/Number signs

Wouldn't it be neat if someone could separate those components into a light subsystem?

The SpiderGoat can...

: However getting back to the stretcher, if a team
: plans smartly, and only puts a metal bar or
: something light on the stretcher, and not their
: entire robot. It would be very possible to get us 10
: points.

: So the best solution, only use the stretcher when
: you have to. If you have to use the stretcher, take a
: spike or a metal bar from your robot, and strap it
: down with duct tape.

[archiver]

Posted by Kevin Sevcik at 2/19/2001 9:30 PM EST


Other on team #57, Leopards, from BT Washington and the High School for Engineering Professions and Exxon, Kellog Brown & Root, Powell Electrical.


In Reply to: Re: Strecher Problems!
Posted by Jon - T190 on 2/19/2001 5:54 PM EST:



I'm pretty sure the Leopard's robot can do that as well. I know all the electronics are in a removable tray. it'd be awfully annoying to wire everything back together again, though.....

[archiver]

Posted by Jon - T190 at 2/19/2001 11:18 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy of Math and Science and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.


In Reply to: Disturbingly enough...
Posted by Kevin Sevcik on 2/19/2001 9:30 PM EST:



But if you engineered a custom connector to protect the connections as well as speed the removal process...

: I'm pretty sure the Leopard's robot can do that as well. I know all the electronics are in a removable tray. it'd be awfully annoying to wire everything back together again, though.....

[archiver]

Posted by Ken Leung at 2/21/2001 12:35 AM EST


Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.


In Reply to: Strecher Problems!
Posted by Kyle Fenton on 2/19/2001 11:48 AM EST:



It seems to me that the stretcher isn't too big of a problem for our robot. Right now, our robot is really close to the weight limit, and with good enough timing belt on our wheels we are able to gain a lot of traction on the drive train.

However, you point about the width of the stretcher is important. After all, because it is so wide, the robot need to control it really well in order to get it to fit on the bridge. And I can foresee many problems with people getting their wheels/casters caught on the edge of the bridge.

As for the part about the weight of the stretcher+robot heavier than your own robot... I see a quick solution for that problem. Have your robot push the stretcher instead of pull. This way, the front of the "convoy" will be heavier, this the bridge will tip over and you can utilize gravity to get your robot to the end zone a little faster.

You might be surprised about how people will want to use the stretcher. After all, in the finals, all the teams will be desperate enough to get as many point as possible.