Posted by Splash.
Student on team #53, Team Inferno, from Eleanor Roosevelt High School and NASA GSFC.
Posted on 6/14/2000 2:56 PM MST
Since all of us didn’t get to see every robot, what do you think was the most unique/useful feature that a robot had?
Posted by Pamela.
Student on team #116, Team Merrimack, from MHS and Unitrode/ R S Machines.
Posted on 6/14/2000 4:43 PM MST
In Reply to: what do you think was… posted by Splash on 6/14/2000 2:56 PM MST:
I think that the team(s)(???) with the robots which could move back and forth across the bar to transport balls and even up the score definetly (so kill me I can’t spell) had the most useful/unique feature. It was the best offensive and defensive strategy to use, you could insure yourself a close win.
~Pamela~
: Since all of us didn’t get to see every robot, what do you think was the most unique/useful feature that a robot had?
Posted by Erin. [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]
Student on team #1, The Juggernauts, from Oakland Technical Center-Northeast Campus and 3-Dimensional Services.
Posted on 6/14/2000 4:51 PM MST
In Reply to: what do you think was… posted by Splash on 6/14/2000 2:56 PM MST:
Everyone might know by now that I am a great fan of 173’s speed. I believe I even heard a story that they slammed in to the opposite wall so fast, that they bent everything on their end-of-arm (scoring mech.)
Other than that, I am eternally mystified by the swerve 
-Erin
p.s… oh yeah, I can’t say that I don’t like the turret!
Posted by Andy Grady. [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]
Coach on team #42, P.A.R.T.S, from Alvirne High School and Daniel Webster College.
Posted on 6/14/2000 6:00 PM MST
In Reply to: Re: what do you think was… posted by Erin on 6/14/2000 4:51 PM MST:
I definatly have to agree with Erin on this one, two of the most entertaining things to watch in this competition where the speed of 173, 175, and 95 (just to name a couple) and i was really mezmorized by team 1’s nifty little turret. It made me dizzy, but it was mad cool!!!
Posted by Steve Prairie.
Student on team #173, RAGE, from Rockville High School /East Hartford High School and UTRC.
Posted on 6/16/2000 4:19 PM MST
In Reply to: Re: what do you think was… posted by Erin on 6/14/2000 4:51 PM MST:
: Everyone might know by now that I am a great fan of 173’s speed. I believe I even heard a story that they slammed in to the opposite wall so fast, that they bent everything on their end-of-arm (scoring mech.)
Yep, thats true, we put the brakes on a lil too late… We basicly had 2 speeds, normal, and really fast…if you wanna now how, lets just say: servo, latex tubing, and some wire…
p.s. by the 5th time we hit the wall, we spliced the aluminum tubing for the wrist joint with the arm…
Posted by Dante.
Student on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.
Posted on 6/14/2000 10:41 PM MST
In Reply to: what do you think was… posted by Splash on 6/14/2000 2:56 PM MST:
: Since all of us didn’t get to see every robot, what do you think was the most unique/useful feature that a robot had?
Well, to us-(team 47), the most useful feature was a hanging robot. Which was probably over 75% of the robots.
Dante
Posted by Splash.
Student on team #53, Team Inferno, from Eleanor Roosevelt High School and NASA GSFC.
Posted on 6/15/2000 9:11 AM MST
In Reply to: Re: what do you think was… posted by Dante on 6/14/2000 10:41 PM MST:
: Well, to us-(team 47), the most useful feature was a hanging robot. Which was probably over 75% of the robots.
: Dante
What team had the most effective, fastest, or most reliable hanging mechanism? HOT Bot wasn’t coming off the bar once it got on, and team 41? had a secondary drive to move back and forth to keep others off the bar. Who got on the easiest? What do you think?
Posted by Nate Smith.
Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.
Posted on 6/15/2000 10:13 AM MST
In Reply to: hanging ability posted by Splash on 6/15/2000 9:11 AM MST:
: : Well, to us-(team 47), the most useful feature was a hanging robot. Which was probably over 75% of the robots.
: : Dante
: What team had the most effective, fastest, or most reliable hanging mechanism? HOT Bot wasn’t coming off the bar once it got on, and team 41? had a secondary drive to move back and forth to keep others off the bar. Who got on the easiest? What do you think?
We ran across a few glitches early on with our hanging mechanism, but once we were up there, we weren’t coming off…we would just hang there and swing back and forth if we got hit.
Nate
Posted by Doug Fischer.
Student on team #41, Warriors, from Watchung Hills and Cordis.
Posted on 6/15/2000 5:56 PM MST
In Reply to: hanging ability posted by Splash on 6/15/2000 9:11 AM MST:
Yeah, 41, that was us, we designed to be a defensive machine from the begining: ‘offense wins games, defense wins championships’ 'cept we didnt win any championships, oh well, we’ll take quarterfinals at the nationals. In my opinion the ability to poach was huge, also what set some teams apart was there speed which is super important, especially for offensive teams.
Doug Fischer
Driver, team 41
, fastest, or most reliable hanging mechanism? HOT Bot wasn’t coming off the bar once it got on, and team 41? had a secondary drive to move back and forth to keep others off the bar. Who got on the easiest? What do you think?
Posted by Dave. [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]
Student on team #308, Robo Stars, from Walled Lake Schools and TRW.
Posted on 6/16/2000 2:37 PM MST
In Reply to: hanging ability posted by Splash on 6/15/2000 9:11 AM MST:
Hey,
Well, in my opinion, the ability to hang on the bar should have been rated on how easily the robot was able to get on a congested bar. On a congested bar, a robot like Hot would not be able to get on. (Not picking on Hot, there were many such robots, they’re just the first that came to mind) We used this strategy in several matches, and we won by only having 3 balls in the rack, 2 black and 1 yellow, and both of our robots on the bar. We could sit on the bar with over a minute to go, there was no way we could be knocked off, and no matter how many balls they put in, it was impossible to beat us. Robots such as ours and the Mystery Machine (I know there were a couple others that climbed on using a winch system, I just can’t remember any more) could get on with almost any other robot on the bar, all’s we needed was a coulple inches on the bar to put our hook on, and we were set.
The power and flexibility provided by using a system like the one we used gave us an advantage over most any other hanging robot. No matter how we were hit, we would just swing. The power in our winch was unparralled. In one match, me actually lifted another robot off of the bar while pulling ourselves up. (I know there was another robot that did this, but this just helps me prove my point We had the ability to lift somewhere around 600 pounds. We were able to get on the bar every time we tried, except for a couple matches when we had technicial difficuties with our drive train. So, in my opinion, the winch users had the most powerful and most effecitive hanging system.
Dave Hurt
: : Well, to us-(team 47), the most useful feature was a hanging robot. Which was probably over 75% of the robots.
: : Dante
: What team had the most effective, fastest, or most reliable hanging mechanism? HOT Bot wasn’t coming off the bar once it got on, and team 41? had a secondary drive to move back and forth to keep others off the bar. Who got on the easiest? What do you think?
Posted by David McGovern.
Student on team #349, RoBahama, from International academy and Ford.
Posted on 6/16/2000 3:30 PM MST
In Reply to: hanging ability posted by Splash on 6/15/2000 9:11 AM MST:
Well I know one thing is for certain, there weren’t many robots that could keep us off the bar. I know we hung when 2 robots were already on the bar on various occasions. Also, until FIRST changed the after-match-tether rule at nationals, there was nothing that could take our robot off the bar, even us one time (at Chicago, a gear tooth was bent and they had to remove the bar to get us off).
Even though hanging was very important, I think that the ability to hang over other robots on the bar was a big advantage. At least it kept our options open: go hang, score more balls, steal opponent’s black ball hehe. That is another thing that I felt was critical, even though most robots could hang, there weren’t many robots that were able to steal out balls from the opponent’s trough. Hanging gives 10 points, stealing a black and a yellow ball and depositing them in your trough is 12 points. I feel that this was one of the more important and also rare attributes that robots could have.
David McGovern
: : Well, to us-(team 47), the most useful feature was a hanging robot. Which was probably over 75% of the robots.
: : Dante
: What team had the most effective, fastest, or most reliable hanging mechanism? HOT Bot wasn’t coming off the bar once it got on, and team 41? had a secondary drive to move back and forth to keep others off the bar. Who got on the easiest? What do you think?
Posted by Justin Stiltner.
Student on team #388, Epsilon, from Grundy High School and NASA, American Electric Power, Town of Grundy.
Posted on 6/16/2000 7:34 PM MST
In Reply to: Re: hanging ability posted by David McGovern on 6/16/2000 3:30 PM MST:
I agree on the Hanging over other robots thing!!
My team won more than one match when we sat flat on the floor with our front wheels only touching the tape on the ramp then we extended our arm and hooked on the bar then there was no doubt about it we were comming up to the bar (I love lead screws but I hate those stupid fiber nuts from SP) also we couldent be angled in any direction to make us touch the ramp because we had about a foot of clearance under the lowest point. And to unhook us from the bar we would have to be pushed past horozantal.
P.S. I wonder why dremel isnt a sponsor of first??
P.P.S. I would like to talk to some People from other teams on ICQ if you have it add me my # is 26602356
Justin Stiltner
Team #388
Epsilon
Grundy Va,
Posted by Patrick Seeney.
Student on team #469, Las Guerrillas, from Oakland Robotics and Lawrence Technological University and Magna Seating Systems, Nachi and Kuka Robotics.
Posted on 6/16/2000 8:30 PM MST
In Reply to: Re: hanging ability posted by David McGovern on 6/16/2000 3:30 PM MST:
: Well I know one thing is for certain, there weren’t many robots that could keep us off the bar. I know we hung when 2 robots were already on the bar on various occasions.
Although it was during an the West Michigan Competition, i seemed to remember our robot holding u guys back from hanging. But i will let u have your moment of glory…
Pat
Posted by Erin. [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]
Student on team #1, The Juggernauts, from Oakland Technical Center-Northeast Campus and 3-Dimensional Services.
Posted on 6/17/2000 9:10 AM MST
In Reply to: what do you think was… posted by Splash on 6/14/2000 2:56 PM MST:
What did you guys think about our ability to slide other robots over on the pole so our alliance could get up? Any who have seen us play… Just wondering… I know that when we first did that, I was pretty impressed. I had no idea we could do that. I stick to my claim that turrets come in handy in the tightest of situations.
-Erin
Posted by Lora Knepper.
Student on team #69, HYPER (Helping Youth Pursue Engineering & Robotics), from Quincy Public Schools and The Gillette Company.
Posted on 6/18/2000 4:00 PM MST
In Reply to: not hanging necessarily… posted by Erin on 6/17/2000 9:10 AM MST:
Erin,
Juggy was not the only hanging bot that could do that =)
Posted by Dante.
Student on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.
Posted on 6/17/2000 2:36 PM MST
In Reply to: what do you think was… posted by Splash on 6/14/2000 2:56 PM MST:
: Since all of us didn’t get to see every robot, what do you think was the most unique/useful feature that a robot had?
I think the ability to go over the goal and steal balls was very useful. It was something different than the monkeys.
Dante`