Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Last minute robot rebuild...

The whole process of building the robot has taught Lockie and I the following:
+ Short wheelbase needed.
+ Simple and sturdy is best.
+ Low center of gravity important.
+ Smart use of sensors needed.
+ Reliable linkages needed.... (we had good linkages that multiplied the torque, etc but they weren't reliable enough for testing let alone a sumo match =\)

So with that in mind we rebuild the robot with all that we have learnt! The set didn't have enough of the needed parts to build exactly what we wanted but we came close.

Changes:
+ Got rid of independent rear suspension... were enough of the right parts in the kit to make a solid rear suspension (the old one broke too easily).
+ Moved motors to give the robot a smaller turning circle.
+ Flipped the control unit so that buttons are easily accessible as the lever motor blocked the controls off. As a result of this the center of gravity has been lowered even further!
+ Changed front linkage system (looks weaker than the old system but is infact more reliable!)

Improvements over version 1:
+ Better (smaller) turning circle!
+ Lower center of gravity
+ More reliable linkage system
+ Easier access to controls

Disadvantages to version 1:
+ Some parts not as sturdy...
+ Not as many defensive structures.

Anyway pic time!


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