Robot Arm C

[laidlawe18]

I think you're putting too much into the design of your master controller. You probably won't even look down when you're operating it. You just want something small, mobile and easily controlled. It doesn't have to be a replica of your arm, it just has to have the same degrees of motion. You could probably even make something work with popsticle sticks and hot glue.

[windu34]

I used 3d printed parts to custom fit to the potentiometers, but before our school had a printer, we used vex parts to connect to potentiometer shafts

[jander14indoor]

Its not even required that your master controller look remotely like your slave arm.

During the last cycle of Robot Arm I judged a team that had one member who REALLY got into design of the control system. His master was on a backpack and had elements leading down to his hand that could identify its position in 3-D space. He then FACED the robot arm from the N side of the playing field and operated the slave arm. The control system took the input from his arm linkages and transformed them into commands that that operated the slave with appropriate commands so the end effector followed his movements. If his hand moved North, the end of the arm moved North. NO single link in either chain mimicked a link in the other. If I remember correctly he did very well.

I spoke to him for a while because i couldn't figure out why he faced the board. He claimed he had a better view, couldn't disagree with him after watching multiple teams this weekend sitting behind their robots and peering over them to see the dice. He apparently spent most of the summer learning about the equations of motion, describing his devices correctly, and then implementing them in software to make this all work. Impressive, I didn't learn what it would take to implement a control system like that until grad school.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

[colaboy82]

Thank you windu34 and bazinga for answering my question

[blueice]

@jander14indoor

As an ES, have you allowed competitors to use a computer to power their microcontroller, which would regulate the voltage?

[jander14indoor]

Not official, etc...

Let me refer you to: para 3.e

https://www.soinc.org/sites/default/fil ... 150730.pdf

And of course para 3.d is still in force.

Coaching comment. If you have a device that is physically sealed (not a screwed shut battery compartment), it might be smart to have technical documentation on said device showing voltage info.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

[blueice]

Thank you so much for all your help!

One additional question, though. After the event supervisor checks to see if the Robot Arm fits within 30 x 30 x 100, can we outstretch the arm before connecting the power supplies as I feel like the arm would jerk up suddenly even if I attempt to mimic my slave arm as much as possible with my master arm?

So I guess basically, after checking dimensions, do you only allow competitors to connect their power sources?

Thank so so much!

[blueice]

Please ignore the prior question. I thoroughly re-read all the rules.

My questions now is, after preparation time, must the device fit inside the 30 x 30 x 100
6c says that the Device must be in the Device Square
Does this mean it must fit inside the 30 x 30 x 100

E.g. does the "ready to run configuration" mean being able to fit inside 30 x 30 x 100

Can anyone with competition experience comment?

[windu34]

Please ignore the prior question. I thoroughly re-read all the rules.

My questions now is, after preparation time, must the device fit inside the 30 x 30 x 100
6c says that the Device must be in the Device Square
Does this mean it must fit inside the 30 x 30 x 100

E.g. does the "ready to run configuration" mean being able to fit inside 30 x 30 x 100

Can anyone with competition experience comment?

Ready to Run must fit in 30x30x100

[blueice]

Is this from prior competition experience?

Also, so the robot can be powered on in the ready to run configuration?

I apologize for all the question. I am quite a newb