Marauder – 2012
Game robot was designed for: Logo Motion
Brief description of game: Logo Motion is played by two competing alliances on a flat 27’ x 54’ foot field. Each alliance consists of three robots. They compete to hang as many inflated plastic shapes (triangles, circles, and squares) on their grids as they can during a 2 minute and 15 second match. The higher the teams hang their game pieces on their scoring grid, the more points their alliance receives. For more info on the game visit http://www.usfirst.org
Frame/Drive System: This year we used a custom design for the frame of the base, mostly made of 4″ square tubing, cut into 4 x 1″ C-channels. For the drive system, we utilized a 6-wheel tank drive system for maximum control. It used a total of 4 CIM motors, two on each side, hooked up to a two-speed shifting gearbox.
Manipulator: In order to effectively reach all three heights, we made a multi-tier chain-driven arm which speedily reached the top row. It used a fixed-point chain system, powered by a custom gearbox with BaneBots RS-775 motors. We used pneumatics to power the “elbow” and claw, which picked up the inner tubes from the inside. Reaching the specified heights was automated through the use of an encoder to determine how far up the arm had traveled. Outstanding programming and sensor work made the arm manipulation easier for the drivers.
New Concepts: Mini-bot deployment was completely new to the team this year. To make an effective mini-bot, we used 2 DC Tetrix motors to power wheels on each side of the mini-bot, as well as magnets to make the mini-bot stick to the pole. A servo released the minibot carriage, which was under tension via a tool retractor. The minibot would hit a flat plate at the top of the pole, which triggered the on/off switch, and then the bot would (relatively) safely fall to the ground.
Components Discarded: Several minibots were created and tested, and the less efficient ones were turned into the scrap parts that would become the final version.