Mini-bot Ideas

[Hawiian Cadder]

i think the plan with my team is to use the main robot to "Launch" the minibot, rather than have it move under its own power. it should work alright. i also think that our mini-bot wont have any electrics, entirely potential energy driven.

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by Hawiian Cadder

i think the plan with my team is to use the main robot to "Launch" the minibot, rather than have it move under its own power. it should work alright. i also think that our mini-bot wont have any electrics, entirely potential energy driven.

Sorry, but I don't believe the rules will allow that.

<G19> After DEPLOYMENT, MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous. Violation: The TOWER on which the MINIBOT is DEPLOYED is disabled. If the MINIBOT is not deployed on a TOWER, then the ALLIANCE’s TOWER upon which the highest RACE SCORE was earned will be discounted.

The parts to allow you to make the Minibot must follow this rule:

<R92> The following items are the only permitted materials for use on the MINIBOTS:
A. TETRIX components,
B. no more than two motors (PN W739083),
C. exactly one 12V rechargeable NiMH battery pack identical to those supplied in the FTC kit of parts (PN W739057)
D. No more than one HiTechnic DC motor controllers,
E. No more than one NXT controller with the Bluetooth functionality disabled,
F. Polycarbonate,
G. Polycarbonate glue,
H. Aluminum sheet, 90° angle, u-channel, tube, bar,
I. rivets,
J. non-metallic rope or cord,
K. wire nuts,
L. cable ties,
M. limit switches,
N. no more than two common household light switches,
O. wire of appropriate gauge (see Rule <R40>),
P. non-slip pad,
Q. PVC or CPVC pipe,
R. PVC cement or cleaner,
S. Mechanical hardware (i.e. screws, bolts, etc) ,
T. Loctite or similar thread-locking product,
U. Rubber bands,
V. Surgical tubing,
W. Electrical tape and shrink tubing,
X. PWM extension cables,
Y. Universal security clips to hold the PWM connectors together,
Z. Hook and loop fastener (may not be used as tape), and
AA. Magnets.

Obviously we are very early in the build season, so I'm certain refinements to the rules will make it clearer if your idea will work or not.

[JohnHorton]

In response to my previous post, I figured out the initial launch velocity needed.
Assuming:
-Kinetic minibots are allowed
-4N triggers the switch (as indicated in GM 2.2.5)
-A section of PVC around the tower with some hinging and latching weighs in at 120g
-The target switch takes 1 cm to trigger
-Friction turns off for the day
The initial launch velocity would need to be 7.5 m/s.

I rounded up gravity to 10 m/s^2 and rounded up most of my numbers to two sig. figures.

This is on the outside for that weight of PVC. I think +/- .5m/s would be fine, depending on friction.

[Mr_I]

I'm trying to convince my team to consider using Ytivarg to make the minibot climb the tower.


(Hint - Lleps ti sdrawkcab! )

[itsalka]

Our team's thinking of having a minibot with two plastic clips (like the bottom spring on an umbrella http://www.umbrellaman.co.uk/UserFil...n-Umbrella.jpg ) that would both have a curved side towards the pole, and then would maybe be attached to some PVC so the robot could lock on. However, having looked at the rules some more, I think it would be hard to make them/have them work without using springs. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, do you have any ideas?

[dsmith14469]

Something our team learned is that the sensor that needs to be triggered is 3 limits switches wired in series positioned around the circle. So launching an item my trigger only one switch and no the other two in which case no score.

[TNaylor]

Originally Posted by dsmith14469

Something our team learned is that the sensor that needs to be triggered is 3 limits switches wired in series positioned around the circle. So launching an item my trigger only one switch and no the other two in which case no score.

Actually, since they are in series, actuating just one switch would disrupt the entire circuit and would be registered as a score.

[Wayne TenBrink]

Originally Posted by TNaylor

Actually, since they are in series, actuating just one switch would disrupt the entire circuit and would be registered as a score.

Are the switches normally open or normally closed?

[MechJim]

We were considering ideas that would not require any electrical devices for the minibot. For example, the minibot could be constructed small, lightweight, and powered by a wind up spring mechanism. As the host bot pulls away from the minibot it could release a latch that then lets the minibot shoot up the pole with stored spring power driving wheels or such. Unfortunatly, per the materials list it looks like any team wanting to power the minibot with a spring must use either rubber bands or the surgical tubing.

Am I missing anything in the rules that would prevent us from powering a minibot by stored spring energy as long as it is deemed safe?

Thanks

MechJim
Team 3284

[578robotsrock]

I am extremely interested to see if launched mini-bots will be allowed

[pfreivald]

I think that there are a lot of unknowns right now about what, exactly, is legal as far as MINIBOTs are concerned. "Climb", "deploy", and "autonomous" are all sufficiently ambiguous that there is a lot of outside the box thinking going on -- some of which will be legal in the end, some of which won't, and all of which is good stuff either way.

Originally Posted by MechJim

Am I missing anything in the rules that would prevent us from powering a minibot by stored spring energy as long as it is deemed safe?

Well, keep in mind the material usage rules... Springs aren't allowed, although elastic deformation is possible with other materials.

[JesseK]

If you think you want to launch a minibot, PROTOTYPE IT. We did.

No really, try it. Then come back with the results. There's way too much conjecture in this thread...

[HazzardFuzzBomb]

Sorry I don't have the insides of the rule so can someone post them but check out rule g20

[Beta Version]

Originally Posted by dsmith14469

Something our team learned is that the sensor that needs to be triggered is 3 limits switches wired in series positioned around the circle. So launching an item my trigger only one switch and no the other two in which case no score.

actually, per my understanding, these switches are held between two plates. The minibot hitting the bottom plate will activate all the switches

[Nemisis]

just keep in mind everyone... It's not going to take very much force at all to trigger the thing at the top so all the minibot has to do is reach the top before another does... Given that the bot has only 10 seconds to reach the top, at that velocity it will most definitely trigger.