Robot ideas

[MrForbes]

Originally Posted by BigRed

If my team can get 60 points by lifting the two alliance partners off the ground would that make us a valuable alliance partner in the finals?

Yes, you would be a valuable alliance partner. But keep in mind that your alliance partners may have problems, if they fall over or have a drive malfunction they won't be able to make it to the end zone and you won't be able to lift them, and won't get your 60 points. If you can score some rings in addition to lifting, you'll be even more valuable.

[Donut]

Originally Posted by squirrel

Yes, you would be a valuable alliance partner. But keep in mind that your alliance partners may have problems, if they fall over or have a drive malfunction they won't be able to make it to the end zone and you won't be able to lift them, and won't get your 60 points. If you can score some rings in addition to lifting, you'll be even more valuable.

Building off that, you'd only be a valuable alliance partner for certain robots. If you can only lift robots in the "long" configuration, then you wouldn't be valuable to anyone who builds a "wide" robot.

Lifting mechanisms are going to require some very careful and good thinking if you want to ensure you can lift ANY robot.

[Red Mage]

Originally Posted by squirrel

Yes, you would be a valuable alliance partner. But keep in mind that your alliance partners may have problems, if they fall over or have a drive malfunction they won't be able to make it to the end zone and you won't be able to lift them, and won't get your 60 points. If you can score some rings in addition to lifting, you'll be even more valuable.

undoubtedly you would need to be able to score to even be considered for an alliance. But the ability to earn 60 points would be helpful

[fredliu168]

any way a robot can have a high torque elevator, ground level. Also it can have an arm folded within this space.

The robot can play as a offensive tube stacker until the last 15 seconds. Then it gets a robot to drive on its elevator, and slowly lifts the elevator to 12"s.

[NoSkaOnTheRadio]

i was talking about the bonus points with my dad yesterday, and we came up with this idea.

1. your robot is fairly flat-backed, and about as tall as the sideboards (this is assuming a forklift-style innertube manipulator near the front of back of the robot: something tall, but not very deep).
2. you have a pair of springloaded panels on the back of your bot, such that if you pulled your bot parallel with the sideboards with a couple of feet in between them, you could release them and one would flip out laterally to create a platform, supported on one side by your robot and on the other by the sideboards.
3. the second panel that i was referring to would be attached to your first panel, but in a way that it would funtion as a ramp.

i know the explanation is vague and probably tough to understand since i can't stand here and pantomime everything with my hands. it's also probably deeply flawed in ways i haven't noticed, but i mean this comment as a sort of jumping-off-point, something to get people thinking. take it however, i just thought it warranted at least a mention.

[Barry Bonzack]

I'm thinking a possible hook, suctioncup, or corkscrew design for a manipulator to transport ringers. I can't seem to find pictures of other's designs like this although I am sure they are out there.

2005 team 16 and team 1543 used corkscrews
2004 team 16 did a very good suction cup design to more arount the 2x multiplier ball.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by Coop

our team decided the most awsome(and hardest and least likely lifting mechanism) is akin to a inflatable raft. keep it rolled up till the last 15 seconds or so, or more. drive to home zone, unfurl it(note that it is NOT detachable, it remains attached to ones robot via pnuematics/air cables). alliance robots then drive ontop of the "raft" and it is inflated with much speed. if anyone can accomplish this, i will be impressed. have fun.
btw, first post, gogo penguins!
-coop

Cool idea, but not legal. An inflatable bag is not a pneumatic device you're allowed to use in the Robot Rules.

[aaeamdar]

Originally Posted by Malenddruid

My idea for the way to handle the tubes is to use a hydraulic arm...

I would assume that someone in the five pages of replies has posted this already, but:

Originally Posted by Section_8

R<46> Items specifically prohibited from use include: [...] Hydraulic fluids or hydraulic components.

So sorry to rain on your idea, but it looks like hydraulics are out.

[DjAlamose]

Originally Posted by aaeamdar

So sorry to rain on your idea, but it looks like hydraulics are out.

I think what they meant to say was pneumatics.

But back to the topic. I've been doing some research and some thinking and I have thought up of at least 7 different ways to build ramps so there isn't going to be a problem with finding a way to do it. Also these tubes weigh only ~1 lb. You wouldn't need much of an arm to manipulate them. Plus the suction cup system they give us seems to work nicely (from what I’ve heard on these forums). I really don’t see the issue in making a robot that can both be a ramp and place tubes. The only thing I see coming into play is deciding exactly how to get everything within the size restriction for your weight class. Obviously a shorter robot is nice for weight, but it becomes harder to get to the high tubes. This year I can't wait to see all of the different robots at competition because I do believe that we will all be surprised at how different they will all be.

Until then though, good luck teams!

[y2d2]

Too bad we can't attach to field elements One of our mentors suggested suction cup-ing to the plexiglass at the end of the match to get 1' off the ground

670's thinking about an elevator-type mechanism...

[Jesterofkings]

Our team had the same idea as some others on this post. we were considering making a forklift style capable of lifting ourselves and one other. do you think this idea is plausible? And another question. if our robot is a lifter style and our teammate is flipped do u think it is against the rules to flip our team bak over?

[zander_108]

Originally Posted by Jesterofkings

Our team had the same idea as some others on this post. we were considering making a forklift style capable of lifting ourselves and one other. do you think this idea is plausible? And another question. if our robot is a lifter style and our teammate is flipped do u think it is against the rules to flip our team bak over?

haha.. Now your thinking like battlebots... however, i dont know..

[DanDon]

Originally Posted by Jesterofkings

Our team had the same idea as some others on this post. we were considering making a forklift style capable of lifting ourselves and one other. do you think this idea is plausible? And another question. if our robot is a lifter style and our teammate is flipped do u think it is against the rules to flip our team bak over?

How exactly would you be lifting yourself? That would require the lift to be touching the ground which means that you wouldnt get points for your robot being suspended since the lift (which is part of the robot) is touching the ground.

Unless you can levitate.

[Jesterofkings]

yeah i just read it again and a friend told me. lol. thanx for pointing out though.

[Zoheb N]

Originally Posted by dhoizner

How exactly would you be lifting yourself? That would require the lift to be touching the ground which means that you wouldnt get points for your robot being suspended since the lift (which is part of the robot) is touching the ground.

Unless you can levitate.

Easily especially if you are going to the LSR.. all you do is launch a hook up into the rafters and winch yourself up