The Most Spectacular Falls of 2010

[JGecko146]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to get this thread going of the most spectacular falls of 2010.

I'll start by submitting my own team.

Team 501 at the BAE Regional:

In our second to last qualifying match we hung off the tower. We went up and up and up, until our robot frame was actually touching the top bar. However our cheering was short-lived as we all watched in horror as our 1000 pound test line sheared off and our robot fell 7 feet to the ground. We actually dented the bump when we landed! Miraculously our driver was able to flip us back onto our wheels and drive away. Our arm was completely mangled but despite all odds the drivetrain and electronics survived.

Have you seen an amazing fall? Please post it here. I think we should vote or something at the end.

Thanks,
JGecko146

[Richard Wallace]

There was a robot at Traverse City that used a lift system to raise itself about 30 inches, after which its arm could reach the top bar -- IF the robot had not already toppled by then! Some of that robot's falls were spectacular, especially when it started from the top of the bump. I can't recall the team number right now, but I think it was 2245 or 2246.

If someone has pictures they would be well worth posting.

[Karibou]

Originally Posted by Richard

There was a robot at Traverse City that used a lift system to raise itself about 30 inches, after which its arm could reach the top bar -- IF the robot had not already toppled by then! Some of that robot's falls were spectacular, especially when it started from the top of the bump. I can't recall the team number right now, but I think it was 2245 or 2246.

If someone has pictures they would be well worth posting.

I definitely remember that robot, and always being on the edge of my seat whenever it would try to hang. I think that everyone in the gym was holding their breaths when it started wobbling.

Also at Traverse City, 1783 had a pretty spectacular-looking fall. It was hanging from one of the top horizontal bars of the tower for several seconds, and then something just....snapped. The robot fell straight down. It looked pretty painful, but I don't know what the exact damage was like.

[apalrd]

There was one robot at Kettering that had this flimsy arm that would sometimes fall off if it didn't catch the tower when it unfolded. That was funny.

We were playing against 548 and they tried to push us but then flipped onto their side, driving in circles since they were resting on one pair of wheels and a bumper. They righted themselves, and came to play more defense against us. Then the 20 second sound was played and we began unfolding our arm. They drove over a bump and landed on their back, rolling around. We hit them with our arm while attempting to grab the tower, and they rolled around some more.

[Brandon_L]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyVJCaT335U

the cable was threaded through this little loop, and when we went out there after the match it wasn't a loop anymore, it was a wiggly piece of metal. On the way down we took out a huge chunk of our ball shooter (but it still works) and broke a chain.

This was in the quarters, not sure what match exactly.

[Koko Ed]

Mine.

[EricPalmatier]

well Team 250 at FLR had a pretty good spill. It wasnt from a high drop from the bar, but it was a solid thud, someone on the team has video of it, and its pretty funny because you can just about everyone in the stadium going "ooooohhhhhhhh" simultaneously. Ill try and get it posted tonight for everone's viewing pleasure!

[DonRotolo]

I think it was Team 422 at the NJ regional: They were pushing their cart, hit one of the bumps wher the electric power cables run, and the robot did a nose-dive off the front of the cart. Ouch! Robot had no injuries.

It was a team located between teams 25 and 11 in the pits.

[Bjenks548]

Originally Posted by apalrd

There was one robot at Kettering that had this flimsy arm that would sometimes fall off if it didn't catch the tower when it unfolded. That was funny.

We were playing against 548 and they tried to push us but then flipped onto their side, driving in circles since they were resting on one pair of wheels and a bumper. They righted themselves, and came to play more defense against us. Then the 20 second sound was played and we began unfolding our arm. They drove over a bump and landed on their back, rolling around. We hit them with our arm while attempting to grab the tower, and they rolled around some more.

Just to add to this, the second time, we didn’t flip onto our backs... it was more of a face plant. 33 came along and hit us onto our back with their claw, leaving a nice hole in our latex and ripping part of it off. After the match the ref apologized for the missed call of the 10 second grace period. But we got our revenge in the elimination matches!

[raffi383]

Originally Posted by apalrd

There was one robot at Kettering that had this flimsy arm that would sometimes fall off if it didn't catch the tower when it unfolded. That was funny.

Are you by chance referring to FEDS 201?

The arm is designed so that the hook disconnects at the top and the arm falls back down once the winch cable starts to pull. This keeps the arm from looking like a pretzel.

There's a video of it here from one of the Kettering matches: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Roches...168364?ref=ts#

We hope to not be in the running for the Most Spectacular Fall of 2010.

Raffi

[dekker120]

We had a pretty interesting fall... it was on the practice field... what we failed to realize before we started lifting was that the cable had wound incorrectly and was stuck... so we made it almost to the top.. and our robot fell off of the tower... fun part was... when we fell, one of the spokes on our drive wheel collapsed.... fortunately we had a spare...

[BJC]

Originally Posted by Bjenks548

Just to add to this, the second time, we didn’t flip onto our backs... it was more of a face plant. 33 came along and hit us onto our back with their claw, leaving a nice hole in our latex and ripping part of it off. After the match the ref apologized for the missed call of the 10 second grace period. But we got our revenge in the elimination matches!

Ya Sorry about that... I had no idea we had damaged your robot in any way. I think the only reason we didn't get called on it was that you guys were at the same time preventing us from getting to the tower to hang. Maybe the calls kind of canceled each other out. Anyways, I thought you had a really cool hanging system, and I know we would have picked you in eliminations if you hadn't already been taken. I remember our scouters going "Man, that robots pretty good!" which is a compliment from them.

[apalrd]

Originally Posted by BJC

I remember our scouters going "Man, that robots pretty good!" which is a compliment from them.

I remember Chet saying "Were Dooooooomed". He has a tendency to vocally point out the bad robots more than the good ones.

[Radical Pi]

At FLR there was this one robot that was going over the bump and tipped over sideways, so that 2 wheels were touching the ground. What was really good though was when they drove into the bump while tipped 90 degrees and used it to flip them back over.

I also have a vauge memory of 1 bot being partially flipped and it's alliance parter trying to ram it back upright

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Radical Pi

At FLR there was this one robot that was going over the bump and tipped over sideways, so that 2 wheels were touching the ground. What was really good though was when they drove into the bump while tipped 90 degrees and used it to flip them back over.

I also have a vauge memory of 1 bot being partially flipped and it's alliance parter trying to ram it back upright

That was team 610 who was able to run on it's side to the bump and right itself.