The coolest thing I saw this year would definitely have to be 190’s autonomous hang/ manipulate balls from bar combination. A lot of teams had great designs as well, however WPI’s robot stood out the most for being the only one that could do that.
Thanks to both of you guys…and all the other people that mentioned us. Tonight (10/26/04) we had a meeting and some people were wiring up the ball drive, so it may be operable in a few weeks. It may even come to a regional with us, hopefully. Maybe we will see a ball drive drive base in the 05 game? That would be cool to see a team actually use it and compete with it.
-Kyle
My favorite/coolest design I saw was 111’s drive base. I think it was great how the pneumatics were and how it could go literally any direction. My other favorite design was the Killerbees gearbox. That thing just looked awesome and they proved it performed well too. What’s next? :ahh:
-Kyle
OMNI WHEELS!
I’d have to go for the ball drive as well. Man , that was funky!
While I don’t know how successful it was, I was most impressed by team 857’s drive train in 2002. It’s been done again since, but it allowed them to move in any direction without the turning of the robot or the pivoting of any wheels. A picture of it is here: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/pictures.php?s=&action=single&picid=2069&direction=DESC&sort=date&perrow=4&trows=10&quiet=Verbose
Matt
Actually, not to downplay the awsomeness of 857’s drive train, it was extremely effective and I think the only 3 wheel omni directional drive, but the very first omni-drive goes to those innovators from team 95, I believe it was in 1999 when they first unvieled the omniwheel! Of course, the first multi directional drive goes to Delphi and Pontiac Central.
Speaking of Chief Delphi, I’d like to nominate their whole 2000 robot for coolness in design. It could do just about everything and it looked sleek while doing so. I still hold firm that the CD Robot that year was probably the most beautifuly designed robot I have ever seen in FIRST…not to mention extremely dominating in match play!
501’s 2003 arm of most things. That allowed them to win in 2003’s regionals by hanging on the bar most of the time.
Sorry to do this Andy…
The HOT Team (Team 67 GM Proving Grounds and Huron Valley Schools, Milford, MI) had omni wheels on their 1998 robot. That is the first robot that I have seen them on.
Technokats (45) also had omnis on their Champion 1998 robot.
Team 33’s 10x ball sucking / eating carrying thing. That thing gobbles em up like theres no tomorrow. It does it so smooth and elegantly too! And it can hang. I wonder if it could hang with most of the 10x balls inside it!
1114 drive system / piston that allowed it swerve/strafe and move onto the platform which was somewhat similar to 111’s drive system.
I would have to say team 716’s tranny from this year…i was in awe. I have a problem remembering team numbers, but i remember that one 