With it’s tiny wheels, low CG, and wide track with, the Circuit Breakers 2006 robot “Robot Man Jan” is an absolute dream to drive. The dual vertical wheel shooter features 180 degrees of turret action and 45+ degrees of elevation control. And beleive it or not, this robot can get on top of the platform. As shipped, the robot features a 2 speed shifting transmission powered by 4 small CIM motors. It is yet to be determined if the drive system will be altered to allow weight for the conveyor system. We are currently exploring options with a nearly identical practice robot.
SEE IT IN ACTION AT THE PHOENIX AND LOS ANGELES REGIONALS!
All what weight at the top? This is one of the lowest CG designs I think I have seen. The vertical tubing is 1/16" wall and the PVC is thin wall. The basket is probaly 4 pounds. With it’s wide track width, it handles superbly. And yes, we plan to (and will) get on the platform at the end of the match.
One interesting note is that the axes of all the drive wheels lie in the same plane (by design, not by mistake).
another interesting note, is that the shifting drive system has incredibly little backlash - a programmer’s dream (although this one was by mistake).
We had to try to find the green target last year… anything you can paint on a robot is going to be no contest to the glowing green target… THere is nothing to worry about there.
Nice saftey equipment (Catchers mask, it looks like?)
Its nice… very simple. Which is a good thing… didn’t you have problems with the balls binding in the top area? We noticed that when two of them were rubbing together, they were hard to seperate.
Did you manage to get it handling the ramp okay? I saw it tip multiple times on the ramp today during practice, usually because the robot would stop on the slope.
It drives well though, and I like the movable shooter aimer.
The tipping you witnessed today was the result of a poorly coordinated functions test. We excel at climbing the ramp. In the practice round, we wanted to try it multiple times so we had to go down. We are unstable going down, but we are good going up. In the real match, we won’t be coming down.
The potential for tipping is due to the fact that we drive wide and short. But, it is an absolute dream to drive. Incredibly maneuverable. Wicked fast in high gear. Goes dead straight when told to. I helped design the drive system, and it even surprises me how smooth it is.
We’ll see you tomorrow. Donut, I want to meet you.
See the pic we posted. We have to tip more than 70 deg to go over in any direction.