Running FIRST robots on open road?

[Billfred]

Alright, so it looks like there may one more parade in the future of 1293's robots. However, this time, there's a choice.

Ockham (our competition robot) has been modified for some time to run on asphalt in parades and such, with a pneumatic caster and wheels for driving. However, we recently have built back up our practice robot, Hockham, which still has our original driving configuration (hard plastic wheels and casters).

For this particular parade, I think Hockham's blank slate might be a little more useful. However, I'm not sure whether running hard plastic wheels on asphalt is the best thing for the electronics on board. Thoughts?

[Kyle Love]

The 45 bot ran on pavement a weekends ago...it wasnt for a long distance, but if u look at our ground clearance and our size wheels...you will see why im so amazed that it didnt get stuck in some of the sketchy parts of the pavement. I definately think you could use the original set up....plus the robots done competing...take a risk

[jdiwnab]

Unless you are on a vibrating platform (like durring an earthquake) I don't think the electronics will suffer much. Well... maybe the CMU Cam, but that is extreamly delicate. I would be more worried about the condition of the wheels afterwords. Pavement tears up plastic wheels (unless they are really hard plastic, which I doubt). You might consider getting replacement wheels for afterwords or getting cheep wheels for the parade. Or whatever you think you should do about damaging wheels. If riding accross pavement would hurt the electronics, I don't think they would survive much in compatitions.

[greencactus3]

do you have clearance to wrap ducttape around them? it will give them a little cushinoning and also might give better grip on the concrete.

Our team has run a bot on pavement before. It's fine for the electronics, but it eats away at the wheels like nothing else. A way to make these last a little longer is to wrap duct tape around the wheels, then put a few rubber bands. The bands will save your tires a lot, but slow down the turning a fair bit. So if you're mainly going in a straight line, that would work fine.

[Elgin Clock]

So.. no chance of temporarily putting other wheels of different material (re: wheelchair wheels, pneumatics?) on the bot for the day?

How about using a flatbed trailer to run the robot in and laying some carpet on it?

Then their is always the brilliant idea of trying to tow a section of carpet behind a truck and running it on that.. lol

I would actually like to see vid of the last one.. Anyone care to step up to that challenge?

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Then their is always the brilliant idea of trying to tow a section of carpet behind a truck and running it on that.. lol

I would actually like to see vid of the last one.. Anyone care to step up to that challenge?

Hrrm, never thought of that one before. I have a truck but am lacking in the carpet department. And we've got robots, but I don't know if we have a mentor who'd be willing to close his eyes long enough