pic: Exploding Tick Tigers

[David Guzman]

loading photo ...

[gorrilla]

do they auto-track the trailers?

[Akash Rastogi]

hahaha, this reminded me of "MORT, Tigers, and Bears"

Very nice looking robots. What's the range and deployment rate on those shooters? Awesome jobs to all 3 teams and thanks for keeping me updated for the past 6 weeks!

[miketwalker]

Originally Posted by gorrilla

do they auto-track the trailers?

At the moment the robots have functional anti-skid code. There is a practice robot that will be finished this weekend for the programmers to continue work with the cameras. They have used smaller ping-pong shooter robots made from vex to track miniaturized goals with the camera. So, in short, it's still a work in progress but we are intending a semi-automated shooting system where the shooter driver 'picks' a goal and the shooter system automates the rest to track, predict goal movements, and update speed for firing. The main problem in testing appears to be the cameras latecy (upto 1/4 of a second). We are looking at ways to minimize the effect of that (predicting velocities/positions of goals, etc.) on our shooting.

As for shooting we designed around a max 10 feet range with the intention of hitting goals from a few feet away so as to be able to shoot at dumpers while staying a safe distance away. We are still tweaking with deployment rates and that will in large part depend on the accuracy of our camera work in the coming weeks.

[Swampdude]

Niiiiice... Purdy too... Videos?

[jcatt]

Originally Posted by Swampdude

Niiiiice... Purdy too... Videos?

Here is a short test video of the feeder mechanism.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...15572611&hl=en

Note that the shooter is removed because the feeder was so powerful that it would force the balls threw the shooter without it powered up.

[dodar]

Aw man!
you guys should have gotten 1251 and 408 to come up to Connecticut with us this year lol

[wendymom]

Originally Posted by dodar

Aw man!
you guys should have gotten 1251 and 408 to come up to Connecticut with us this year lol

We tried!!!

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by wendymom

We tried!!!

I have no problem with that!

Hope to see you in CT 1902!

[JaneYoung]

How'd you guys create the photo?

It's fabulous.

[Rob]

There is some excellent design work and machining on these robots, great job. I can't wait to get a peek close up in CT.

I hope that we get some video of the prdictive tracking once it is runing. That would be a very impressive programming job!

Good luck!

[DarkFlame145]

That is a great photo, with the lighting how it is............... also with 3 sweet looking robots.

[Brandon Holley]

we're gonna have to change floridas name from the sunshine state to the collaboration state!!! awesome bots guys!

[dbs12693x]

Inetersting you decided to duplicate each others' robot...

How did you get so many students each involved in the design process?

[techtiger1]

I will say that the collaboration went really well although as always there was a few set backs. Through our organizational/veteran skills 1902 and 1251 both sat down along with 408 to agree on this design. Meetings were held via video sometimes and in person as the inventor specialists went through each system of the robot mechanically the kids got a chance to ask questions, design on the fly and suggest improvements/ ideas. The teams held multiple conference calls to see what the status of parts, designs, and software where. JVN has a great spreadsheet on balancing deign issues and priorities as well which was referenced too. In short it is a large undertaking to make sure everyone has input on the design and I think everyone is happy with it.

Thanks for your comments on the robots,
Drew