Driving on carpet

[Tom I]

Originally Posted by Hazmatt

Will this be counted as an extra traction device?

Well if it does, All teams will be illegal for increasing the traction!! Fun game when no one's playing since we're all illegal! haha!

[gorrilla]

Originally Posted by Hazmatt

So the wheels are stripping electrons off of the ground and giving the chassis a negative charge while leaving the ground positive. The opposite charges will then attract thus increasing the force of the robot on the regolith. Will this be counted as an extra traction device?

if my understanding of electricity is correct,

it should be the other way around

[hillale]

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

Shouldn't be a problem. Our 06 bot turned out to be an unintentional Van De Graph generator, so we could get a HUGE jolt by touching the frame after any match. Lucky we had a crazy freshman who kinda liked it!

Same for us in 06. Hooray for freshmen!!

[Al Skierkiewicz]

The rule that requires the camera and CRIO be insulated is to prevent interaction between robots that might cause electrical issues since both of these devices have a connection between the case and negative power supply. The static discharge that most teams experience may or may not cause problems with your robot. Teams in the north during winter experience low humidity from the heating during the cold months which makes matters worse. Humidty tends to draw off the charge. Dragging an electrical anchor (wire, braid, etc.) likely does very little since the driving surface (carpet or regolith) is an insulated material. Please be advised that high impedance sensors are the most vulnerable to static discharge but anything on the robot can be affected. We have found that certain electronic potentiometers are overly sensitive to static. If you are using these devices and have an issue during static discharges, I would recommend a change of component design to something more fault tolerant. I would predict that as much static builds up as the insulated wheels are turning near metal robot frame parts as is picked up by the robot moving across carpet.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by wilmo

I don't believe it will be a problem either, since most teams mount their electronics on lexan/polycarbonate, no additional precautions are really necessary.

Um, I beg to disagree. Touch some electronics (see ASl's post above) and the static discharge will damage it, either 'walking wounded' or outright failure.

The solution is almost trivial though: ALWAYS (always always) touch the metal chassis before touching anything else. This will discharge any static and render it mostly safe.

The "correct" way is to wear a static discharge strap (buy one, don't make one, they have resistors in there...) and connect THAT to the robot metal before doing anything. Straps like that are under $5.

Thise metal foil-like plastic bags? Yep, those are used to protect static-sensitive items in shipping. ANYhting that came in one is sensitive to static and you really, really ought to follow the right procedures.

Don

*Walking wounded: You have damaged a semiconductor in such a way that it will fail very soon, but works OK at the moment.

.

[Phil Ross]

you guys should all check out and read Team Update #5

its all about the electro-shock concerns and how to deal with it.

http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...Update%205.pdf

[Mike Schreiber]

I don't see what everyone's problem is we've been driving around fine and haven't been shocked at all. We discovered the solution: wooden axles We've found balsa wood to be the best choice.

But I do agree just touch the chassis before anything else...or find a freshman to do it for you.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Walking Wounded...
def. A semiconductor about to give it's life to protect a breaker.