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 Mentors can't get tired, it says so in the manual. SENIOR mentors, therefore, must have a different manual! - KathieK [more] |
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This is a render of our "Suitcase Bot." We plan on using it for our mentor workshop in China in late December. The goal is to have a drivebase that is FRC sized and has all the basic elements of the control system but can also have a small footprint for travel. We may bring a partial bumper to show bumper construction. We'll use it as a wide, 4 wheel tank drive and may demo with mecanum wheels if time permits. We'll add a gyro, light sensors, something to drive a pot., etc. It uses mini CIMs and standard Toughbox Nano dirve parts.
Discussion
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24-11-2013 13:32
CENTURION
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
That's awesome!
Looks like a bit of a pain to carry though.
Maybe you could integrate a detachable handle and wheels so it can be rolled like a suitcase?
24-11-2013 14:00
CalTran
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by CENTURION
That's awesome!
Looks like a bit of a pain to carry though. Maybe you could integrate a detachable handle and wheels so it can be rolled like a suitcase? |
24-11-2013 15:33
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
I haven't looked around yet, but I was hoping to find a suitcase with wheels I can pack it in. I'd pack the spare parts and tools with it also.
24-11-2013 15:40
DampRobot
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
Just a top, making the handle out of round tubing makes things a lot more comfortable to carry.
Also, keep in mind that this thing will have to go through airport security, so you might want to consider mailing it to your destination rather than bringing it on the plane.
24-11-2013 15:48
AllenGregoryIV
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
Very cool, but I'm actually more interested in the details of the Mentor Workshop in China. Do you know how many teams will be represented? Which teams? We have several teams from China coming to TX regionals but haven't heard much about how they are being supported.
24-11-2013 15:52
BBray_T1296
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Tom Ore
There's a business man in China driving the effort. We (FRC 525) met him in 2012 at champs and he was interested in starting FRC teams. One of our parents (who's from China) has kept in contact with him since. The business man was back in St. Louis at champs this year. He brought a cameraman and filmed in our pit for about 2 1/2 hours. He interviewed a couple of our mandarin speaking students for a special to be broadcast in China to attract schools that might be interested. (I never heard how that turned out, but he did attract schools from all over China.)
3 mentors from FRC 525 (myself included), 1 mentor from FTC 6420 and a student that graduated last year from our team are going to China to conduct a three day mentor workshop. (We leave on the Dec 22nd and get back on the 28th.) The workshop will be held at the school that competed last year. |
24-11-2013 16:43
Michael Hill
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
Just a suggestion...you MIGHT want to check that if flying 
You'd get quite a few looks from the TSA
24-11-2013 17:17
BBray_T1296
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Michael Hill
Just a suggestion...you MIGHT want to check that if flying
You'd get quite a few looks from the TSA |
24-11-2013 17:22
Rebka
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
How much does the bot weigh? My experience is that FRC robots are generally quite heavy.
The workshop in China sounds really cool. You'll have to let us all know how it goes.
And I'm really sorry but I find humour in the thought of putting a FRC robot in a suitcase.
I just looked at the pic again. So you can swap out the two different types of wheels? That is AWESOME.
24-11-2013 17:24
BBray_T1296
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Rebka
And I'm really sorry but I find humour in the thought of putting a FRC robot in a suitcase.
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Boy was I the hero when I pulled a battery and power inverter out of my suitcase 2/3 of the way there, after everyone's phones had died
24-11-2013 17:24
Coach Norm
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
Best of luck to you guys. We are competing with some of the teams from China as well. In addition, there were a few teams and representatives at the Asia Pacific Invitational this summer in Australia. If we can help out in anyway, let us know.
We shipped FTC robots and parts over this summer for the Asia Pacific Invitational. We specifically made a wood crate for one FTC Robot and packed the crate with expanding foam to match the robot. We also took components over in a large aluminum sided suitcase that was packed with the expanding foam around the parts. We checked the crate but made it so that it could be opened to be examined. We included zipties to be used to close the crate back up after inspection by security.
24-11-2013 18:07
yash101
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
Whenever I go on trips, I pack my AGM battery, a boost converter, my laptop, and my broken iPod with a magnet on it's back. When it's dark, I just pull out the iPod, stick it to the bus's steel ceiling and turn it on to full brightness! I then have tons of light. Meanwhile, I can surf the inet on my computer by tethering my phone! I am the Savvy Traveler!
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Originally Posted by BBray_T1296
Reminds me of a trip I took. We were on a charter bus for 22 hours, and there were no power outlets on the bus full of teenaged kids.
Boy was I the hero when I pulled a battery and power inverter out of my suitcase 2/3 of the way there, after everyone's phones had died |
Is it possible to apply for a TSA permit/license/background check or something else to allow a robot like this aboard a plane?
24-11-2013 18:20
orangemoore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
I checked the TSA list of special items and for some weird reason Robots did not come up. I guess a robot isn't special.
24-11-2013 18:21
BBray_T1296
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by yash101
Is it possible to apply for a TSA permit/license/background check or something else to allow a robot like this aboard a plane?
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Also, I just thought of something nobody has talked about:
Customs
24-11-2013 18:24
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV
Very cool, but I'm actually more interested in the details of the Mentor Workshop in China. Do you know how many teams will be represented? Which teams? We have several teams from China coming to TX regionals but haven't heard much about how they are being supported.
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We talked last week about coming to Hub City as a third regional to help support the China teams. It gets a bit tricky, because the team is only allowed two out of state trips a year (champs is an exception.) We talked about having each student only go to 2 of the 3 regionals - so we'd need 2 drive teams. I don't know if that is going to work. Regardless, we'll probably have 2 or 3 mentors make the trip to help support the China teams if 525 can't compete there.
24-11-2013 18:37
Alpha Beta
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Tom Ore
This is a render of our "Suitcase Bot." We plan on using it for our mentor workshop in China in late December. The goal is to have a drivebase that is FRC sized and has all the basic elements of the control system but can also have a small footprint for travel. We may bring a partial bumper to show bumper construction. We'll use it as a wide, 4 wheel tank drive and may demo with mecanum wheels if time permits. We'll add a gyro, light sensors, something to drive a pot., etc. It uses mini CIMs and standard Toughbox Nano dirve parts.
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Noticed that 4830 recently joined the Central Illinois regional. We've got a couple of students brushing up on their Mandarin in anticipation.
24-11-2013 18:57
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Alpha Beta
Tom, I'm always impressed by your renders and super excited to get to attend a regional with you guys again this year. We here at Team Titanium wish you all safe travels. I'd be hard pressed to think of a better ambassador for FIRST.
Noticed that 4830 recently joined the Central Illinois regional. We've got a couple of students brushing up on their Mandarin in anticipation. |
24-11-2013 22:05
Nemo
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
I don't know... articulating frames weren't legal last year.
25-11-2013 04:39
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Nemo
I don't know... articulating frames weren't legal last year.
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The two halves will be useful - since the frames were welded there will be a bit of distortion. We can oversize one set of holes to get the two sides aligned nicely when we bolt them together.
We'll point out other stuff that is unique to the suitcase bot and wouldn't be done in competition - like the bumpers are only 1" off the ground and the bumper corners aren't ideal.
25-11-2013 09:25
Nemo
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
c'mon, Tom, you know I was joking.
Seriously, though, this is a sweet project. Packaging everything into that small of a box is a significant challenge, and hopefully you won't run into any snags building it in a short time frame.
Just remember not to put anything in there that makes a ticking sound.
25-11-2013 09:28
BBray_T1296
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Nemo
Just remember not to put anything in there that makes a ticking sound.
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25-11-2013 10:23
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Nemo
c'mon, Tom, you know I was joking.
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25-11-2013 11:08
BBray_T1296
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
You should send the robot over in those crates we used to have to use when FedEx shipped the robots
25-11-2013 12:38
Alan Anderson
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by BBray_T1296
You should send the robot over in those crates we used to have to use when FedEx shipped the robots
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27-11-2013 15:56
protoserge
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
You might be able to squeeze that into a Pelican 1620 case and put it as checked baggage. I can get you the exact interior dimensions if you'd like.
On a TSA side note, I went to Costa Rica this summer with my Pelican 1510 camera case (covered with a few robot stickers) and was asked if I had a camera or a robot inside 
I don't want to know if the robot would have been a bad thing!
16-12-2013 15:44
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
Here are some videos of the suitcase bot.
Arcade Mode
Tank Mode
Mecanum Wheels
Using gyro and pot to hold direction
16-12-2013 16:30
Caleb Sykes
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
This is awesome.
I was wondering if you were going to use gyro correction with the mecanum wheels, and you certainly did. That drive code is probably better than ours was last year 
Have you made bumpers for this guy yet? I see you have the potential for them on the frame.
16-12-2013 20:23
yash101
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
I love how you guys use a mecanum drivetrain! How ingenious!!!
16-12-2013 20:38
MichaelBick
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by yash101
Is it possible to apply for a TSA permit/license/background check or something else to allow a robot like this aboard a plane?
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16-12-2013 20:49
Starke
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by Tom Ore
Here are some videos of the suitcase bot.
Arcade Mode Tank Mode Mecanum Wheels Using gyro and pot to hold direction |
Suitcase Bot Behind the Design: http://frcdesigns.com/2013/12/06/beh...-suitcase-bot/
Offseason Page: http://frcdesigns.com/designs-offseason/
17-12-2013 05:38
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
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Originally Posted by MichaelBick
Funnily enough, we had to do this when we went to the Israel FIRST competition last year. We brought our disassembled practice robot in a padded hard shell case and checked it. They obviously asked questions but let us through(El Al security is a lot tougher than most if not all airlines. As long as you explain your situation you should be fine)
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We should also be okay getting through customs in Hong Kong and Shenzhen because this would be considered a personal item and not a commercial item. We'll have our invitation letter from DaDaLele and one from Cedar Falls Schools. We've been told it takes a while to get through customs and we have to do it twice!
23-12-2013 10:19
Tom Ore
Re: pic: Suitcase Bot
We made it! We just got settled into the hotel here in Shenzhen. (14 hour time difference so it's 11:18 PM Monday here.) No problem getting the suitcase bot here. We'll be starting the workshop first thing in the morning.
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