This desktop sized robot was made for the WPILib team to do development work on. It features different types of sensors, closed loop systems, and functions well for training. The aluminum mast in the back was just to hold an extra Axis Camera used in a competition the robot was entered into. Without the mast, the elevator system can fold down onto the top bed, then the claw carriage folds inside the elevator walls. This allows the robot to fit into a carry-on sized suitcase for safe travel to demos by the WPILib team.
General Subsystem overview:
Drive
-VEX 393 Motors with integrated encoders
-Talon Motor Controllers
-VEX Mecanum Wheels
-Gryo Stabilized
Lift
-Vex 393 Motor
-SoftPot Membrane Linear Potentiometer
-VEX 29 motor controller (Powered off DSC)
Wrist
-VEX 269 Motor
-VEX 29 motor controller (Powered off DSC)
-VEX Potentiometer
Claw
-VEX 269 Motor with integrated encoder
Other Included Sensors:
-Front Ultrasonic Sensor
-Bottom IR Light Sensors (Optional, not currently implemented)
-1 Axis Gyro
-2 Axis accelerometer
All electronics except for the battery and radio (for size reasons only) follow FRC guidelines.
If there is enough interest I might consider posting my part drawings or even selling the acrylic kits.
Special thanks to our sponsor IFI for donating all the VEX Power Transmission parts, Cross the Road Electronics for donating the Talons, Ultimate Plastics for discounted raw materials, and WPI for funding the Project.
That’s one compact robot! Though I’m not sure how easily it would make it through a security checkpoint if you ever took it with you to an airport. :rolleyes:
Is the frame made out of polycarbonate or some kind of acrylic or something?
The robot was actually taken from WPI to St. Louis as a carry on with no issues! Part of the design challenge was to make every component air-line safe (battery, pneumatics, clean wiring, etc.)
I’m astonished the TSA didn’t give you any issues. Even if it is designed to be air safe, the TSA has been known to get freaked out by much less (just seeing the thing on an x-ray I would think would raise some eyebrows).
Actually, I’ve flown my fair share of weird stuff. I flew with 12 pretty big servos, a couple batteries, and a ton of misc PCBs. They didn’t say anything about it. I think from getting my ticket to at the terminal at DTW was something like 10 minutes and most of that was saying goodbye to my parents.
