Stretcher Bot

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Posted by Nick at 03/22/2001 10:19 AM EST


Student on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy and WPI.



So far in the two regional I have been the stretcher has not been used for stragaty. As we know the reason for this is due to the weight of the robot. I wanted to know if the are any other robots out there that can pull out the control panal and light to be used as a stretcher bot. I thought this would be something that some teams would do and I have yet to see another team with a stretcher bot.

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Posted by Ed Sparks at 03/22/2001 12:01 PM EST


Engineer on team #34, The Rockets, from Bob Jones High / New Century High and DaimlerChrysler.


In Reply to: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Nick on 03/22/2001 10:19 AM EST:



We built a modular machine this year with reconfiguration in mind. Our controls, fuse panel, and wiring are all mounted on a single polycarbonate panel that is wired to the outside world through a 37 pin AMP (Mil Style) connector. A twist of the wrist and 4 screws removed drops our entire electrical system out. We can become a "Minimum Robot" with very little effort if asked to in a final. I wouldn't want to do this in the elims based on our recent success.

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Posted by Matt Ryan at 03/22/2001 4:54 PM EST


Student on team #69, HYPER, from Quincy Public Schools and Gillette.


In Reply to: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Nick on 03/22/2001 10:19 AM EST:



By this, do you mean with the robot on the stretcher? Because during one of our matches at UTC, an ally used an empty stretcher, and we (alliance) got it to the endzone for the 10 points.

: So far in the two regional I have been the stretcher has not been used for stragaty. As we know the reason for this is due to the weight of the robot. I wanted to know if the are any other robots out there that can pull out the control panal and light to be used as a stretcher bot. I thought this would be something that some teams would do and I have yet to see another team with a stretcher bot.

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Posted by Jon - T190 at 03/22/2001 11:57 PM EST


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


In Reply to: Re: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Matt Ryan on 03/22/2001 4:54 PM EST:



The stretcher itself counts as a robot when its on the field... ergo, you get the 10pts and then 10pts if you have a bot on it.

j

: By this, do you mean with the robot on the stretcher? Because during one of our matches at UTC, an ally used an empty stretcher, and we (alliance) got it to the endzone for the 10 points.

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Posted by Adrian Wong at 03/22/2001 6:30 PM EST


Student on team #596, Hopkinton Hillers, from Hopkinton High School and Zymark & Computer Associates.


In Reply to: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Nick on 03/22/2001 10:19 AM EST:



I've heard much about the WPI stretcher bot. Or at least, you guys have been talking about it a lot. *grin*

Anyways, one of the other posts talked about Team Update #2 and the answer clarifying what qualifies as a stretcher bot. I couldn't find it in any of the team updates, and I was wondering if you have the exact statement from FIRST saying what a stretcher bot entails. (Is it just the control system, battery, fuse board, and an operating light?)

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Posted by Ed Sparks at 03/22/2001 9:06 PM EST


Engineer on team #34, The Rockets, from Bob Jones High / New Century High and DaimlerChrysler.


In Reply to: Re: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Adrian Wong on 03/22/2001 6:30 PM EST:



Page 2 - 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

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Posted by Warren Boudreaux at 03/22/2001 9:26 PM EST


Engineer on team #180, S.P.A.M., from South Fork & Martin County High School and Pratt&Whitney.


In Reply to: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Nick on 03/22/2001 10:19 AM EST:



You guys need a light robot to pull around on the stretcher? We were pulling around our 130 lb robot from last year with our bot. Tank treads mean lots of traction.

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Posted by colleen - T190 at 03/23/2001 12:11 AM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science and WPI.


In Reply to: Re: Stretcher Bot
Posted by Warren Boudreaux on 03/22/2001 9:26 PM EST:



WPI's robot configures down to just under 19lbs (majority of that is the 13lb battery) in under 30secs..

If we could get to a point where it would be strategically beneficial to become a stretcher bot, we could do so and virtually ANYONE could pull us..

manuevering that stretcher + 130lbs is definitely not as easy as stretcher + ~20lbs without a doubt.. and not that many teams that i've seen could reliably do it (analyzing their goal towing ability and such..)

It's just an idea.. it was pretty easy to make and a feature we'd like to see used at least once it the game

But knowing that each match we've been essential for playing is not a bad thing either

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Posted by Andrew wyatt at 03/23/2001 9:21 PM EST


Other on team #524, Alpha Omega Robotics, from South High School.


In Reply to: we don't need one, we have one
Posted by colleen - T190 on 03/23/2001 12:11 AM EST:





Our robot has this capability, as well, though we've yet to use it, as there has really been no need (we didn't actually design it for this use).

I'm not sure this is an actual benefit, as putting a control system, battery, and light on a platform with castors is not exactly the best way to learn about robotics.

It also screams "COP OUT" to me. *shrug*

maybe i'm wrong.

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Posted by Jon - T190 at 03/25/2001 11:19 AM EST


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


In Reply to: Re: we don't need one, we have one
Posted by Andrew wyatt on 03/23/2001 9:21 PM EST:



We designed from day one to have the Kid as a removable package to add to our strategic arsenal. The way that i think it's helped our team is that we had to plan things out and not just do it.

We designed a set of bus connectors so that the inputs could be safely and accurately be disconnected from the robot interface.

This is engineering at work my friend.


:

: Our robot has this capability, as well, though we've yet to use it, as there has really been no need (we didn't actually design it for this use).

: I'm not sure this is an actual benefit, as putting a control system, battery, and light on a platform with castors is not exactly the best way to learn about robotics.

: It also screams "COP OUT" to me. *shrug*

: maybe i'm wrong.

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Posted by Erik Justen at 03/25/2001 6:06 PM EST


Engineer on team #677, A few screws loose, from Columbus School for Girls and The Ohio State University/Norhtrop Grumman/AEP.


In Reply to: Re: we don't need one, we have one
Posted by Andrew wyatt on 03/23/2001 9:21 PM EST:



I'm sort of surprised that more teams don't have this feature, especially after that one update gave the exact "this is a robot" rules. We even went so far to build a little cage that we can drop our controls board in, just in case anything falls on us we don't let the OEM magic smoke out.

From watching the Great Lakes regional on Saturday, I was somewhat surprised that the stretcher wasn't used, even in the elimination rounds - if two teams were just going to sit in the end zone anyway, why isn't one of them on the stretcher?? Just my thoughts....