Designing a climbing mechanism for 2013... a humbling experience

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Siri

Basically this

"Oh baby, dey goin' fo' da hookup!"

[James1902]

Originally Posted by swwrobotics

Sorry, but what was the simple grab and twist solution in 2010? My first year was part of the 2011 season so I was just a little curious.

Also, my team has come up with an idea, but early prototyping has shown that balance is pretty important when climbing, otherwise the robot cannot reach to the next level. We'd also like a simpler design than we have now just because we see a lot of things that can already go wrong with our current design.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/35099

Instead of reaching for the high horizantal bar, many teams opted to grab onto the vertical pole of the tower.

We've considered using this meathod this year but including an arm on both ends so the robot could 'somersault' up the pyramid.

[DampRobot]

I think we've found a good solution. I'm especially excited about the possibility of integrating a shooter into the design. Early testing wasn't as awesome as I might have hoped, but I still feel like we have something that will work.

The GDC has done a very good job with this challenge. I've heard some top FIRSTers
saying that only 20 or so teams in the world will be able to hang for 30. At first, I thought that was extreemely pessimistic. Now, I'm not so sure.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Wwharrgarbl....

I thought we were working toward a doable design for corner climbing, but I was working from the 2011 robot relative right cylinder. Field relative makes things one heck of a lot more difficult for corner climbing. I'm glad we're designing and prototyping shooting mechanisms in tandem. Back to the drawing board and all that...

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

Wwharrgarbl....

I thought we were working toward a doable design for corner climbing, but I was working from the 2011 robot relative right cylinder. Field relative makes things one heck of a lot more difficult for corner climbing. I'm glad we're designing and prototyping shooting mechanisms in tandem. Back to the drawing board and all that...

We're not back to the drawing board, but that sure did make it more difficult!

[brassardd]

Question for you regarding the robot in 3 days. It's climbing is legal or not ? It seemsthat because in touch the floor (level 0) and grog the first horizontal bar (level 1 and 2) it would not be a legal climbing.

Can someone answers ?

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by brassardd

Question for you regarding the robot in 3 days. It's climbing is legal or not ? It seemsthat because in touch the floor (level 0) and grog the first horizontal bar (level 1 and 2) it would not be a legal climbing.

Can someone answers ?

The rule for touching more than two levels only applies to physical contact with the structure (floor/carpet and the steel tubing that comprises the pyramid), not with occupying the airspace. As such, the robot is touching the ground and the first horizontal bar, which is in level 1. No other parts of the pyramid are contacted, making it a legal 10 point climb.

[JesseK]

We gave up on the design of a 30-point hanger yesterday. We have had plenty of 'visions' for how to do it, yet they all interfere with our desire for disc scoring. So we're scrapping it and instead will focus on disc launching, chute loading, and floor loading with a 10-point hang at the end.

We also plan to drive under the opponents' pyramids to steal their 2 discs in teleop, if all of their robots are too tall. [maniacal laugh]

[F22Rapture]

Originally Posted by JesseK

We also plan to drive under the opponents' pyramids to steal their 2 discs in teleop, if all of their robots are too tall. [maniacal laugh]

Just don't let them touch you on your way out of the pyramid...

[2348humanplayer]

We have made one thet could work. Not sayinig how, but I'm just gonna say one way valves.

[MattDAngeli]

It's not going to be easy at all. We are still brainstorming ideas to climb, and it's still not looking good, considering we want a robot that does all.

[Tottanka]

Originally Posted by Leav

Hi everyone,

Just needed a place to vent a bit really... I've always thought of myself as a creative and resourceful mechanical engineer, but i've got to admit: this year's climbing challenge has got me stumped so far.

I usually have at least an idea for how the challenge can be accomplished, but the 30 point climb has eluded me thus far.

I'd love to hear from other technical people from the first community: has anyone managed to come up with a climbing concept that you would consider simple and/or robust?

I have no interest in knowing what the idea is (I'd like to solve the puzzle on my own, with the team), just to know either way if people feel like they have found a simple solution or not.

I am constantly thinking of the 2010 climbing challenge where I completely missed the "simple" grab&twist solution, and can't shake the feeling that I'm missing a similar one here.

Good luck and may the force be with you.

-Leav

Basically, every single idea iv'e heard or thought of so far has a huge risk, and in most of them that won't be something we are willing to take, strategically speaking.

Than again, I have been known to miss some ingenious stuff in bots that just seemed to work for other teams. (2010 climbers, 2008 shooters/collectors, 2012 stingers...)

[Fez]

Originally Posted by Tottanka

Basically, every single idea iv'e heard or thought of so far has a huge risk, and in most of them that won't be something we are willing to take, strategically speaking.

Than again, I have been known to miss some ingenious stuff in bots that just seemed to work for other teams. (2010 climbers, 2008 shooters/collectors, 2012 stingers...)

And to add to that, ideas that my team and others have been seen to be out of compliance with the rules. I foresee alot of rule changing within this years manual.

Also, there is a possibility that after the first competitions when bots fall off they may change the rules, or does the people who make the rules intend this to happen or oblivious to it?

[Garrett.d.w]

We have been wrestling with this since we got the challenge. Because we are concentrating on the climb aspect of the game, we want it to be safe and reliable. Two days ago we came up with a workable design. We prototyped it yesterday, and will be ordering parts from Bimba on Monday.

Let's just say that this idea has some air under it's wings
I'll show myself out.

We'll probably release a video later in the season once we have it working... hopefully.

Good luck. It's a great challenge and I can't wait to see what people come up with.

[craigboez]

You're not alone. Every year I wonder how the GDC will come up with a unique challenge, and every year they seem to figure it out.

We got out our telescopes to try and figure out a solution...