[CRUSH-all] Preparation for Las Vegas

Tue Mar 14 07:58:04 MST 2006

Joann,

In option 2, the balls are sweep up by the sweeper and would be stored in
the dead space between the electronics board and the basket.  When starting
the match we could pre -load the area with balls.  Then we could drive
forward in autonomous node and barf them out.

The drawback to option 2 is that you can only get balls into the basket by
loading at startup (instead of in the sweeper), or by modifying the top of
the basket to allow the human player to throw balls in.

Your question about us being pushed around brings up a good point.  It
might be that Kareem is easily push around for the same reason that he
turns so well.  With the center wheels down lower than the front or back
wheels, Kareem pivots easily.  Thus, Kareem is pushed around a lot.

Chris

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Chris,

I am confused about option 2.  Are the balls for the autonomous corner dump

coming out of the basket?  If so, how?  Or are they already low behind the
collector wheel?  In which case, how do we get any balls available to the
shooter?  I think I like that option, but don't have my mind around how we
work it.

I also have a question for all you mechanical type people.  It seemed to me

that one of our biggest problems was our vulnerability to being pushed.
Any
time Corbin got lined up, they could easily bump us and mess up our shot.
I
don't know if we were rolling or just moving.  If we were rolling, is there

any way to lock our wheels??

Joann

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher H Hanson" <Christopher_H_Hanson at raytheon.com>
To: <all at crush1011.org>
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 1:08 PM
Subject: [CRUSH-all] Preparation for Las Vegas

> It's time to get ready for Vegas.
>
>
> Here are some things that I have been thinking about, and would like to
> run
> by the rest of you. Please respond with additional suggestions, or more
> pros and cons.
>
> I see that we have three options on how we can handle robot preparation
> for
> Vegas:
>
> 1) Stay-the-Course.  The robot is functional.
> We need to fix the axle for the sweeper, and work on switches and code
fro
> the ball dump.
>
> Pros:
>      - More time to practice and test code on Thursday.
>
> Con:
>      - We won't be much better then we were on Saturday in Phoenix (which
> wasn't bad).
>
>
> 2) Make upgrades that do not require structural changes (no welding or
> time
> consuming tasks)
> Someone on the team (I don't remember whom) suggested that we turn the
> sweeper into a low goal shooter.
>
> Pros:
>      - Minimal construction time.  The robot already can collect balls
> into the sweeper area (it does it now).  We only have to put sides and
> extend the  ramp.
>
>      - Low added weight.  We are right at the limit, but the additional
> weight would not be very much. (also see next pro).
>
>      - Ball Dumper no longer needed. Since we are shooting low, we don't
> need the parts that make the basket dump. Subtract motor and springs.
>
>      - Autonomus code to run to corner and unload into low goal is easy
to
> do, and very effective (remember Fast Eddy).
>
>
> Cons:
>      -  We would no longer be able to feed the shooter after the initial
> supply of 10 balls runs out (see possible mitigation 1).
>
>      - We would be removing the shaking mechanism that helps balls to not
> jam (see possible mitigation 2).
>
>      - Would take some time on preparation Thursday to accomplish
> upgrades.
>
> Mitigation 1:
>      If we no longer have to dump the basket, it can be taller.  We could
> add some kind of netting and minimal frame to allow our human players to
> help  reload by tossing them in. - add weight for wire frame and netting
-
> remove weight for existing backstop.
>
> Mitigation 2:
>      We could place ramps into the basket the keep balls from jamming.
> Two ramps inside might work.  - drawback: according to Bill, we can only
> get 6       or 7 balls into the basket with ramps. - mitigation 1 might
> allow us to put more balls in.
>
>      Option: Replace shower curtain sides with flexible plastic tubing.
>
>
> 3) Make upgrades that require structural changes (welding or time
> consuming
> tasks)
> Another suggestion has been made to add a conveyor belt to the sweeper
> section to pick up balls and deliver them to the basket.
>
> Pros:
>      - Reliable way to feed our shooter - unlimited ball supply.
>
>      - Could be used in reverse to score low goals.
>
>      - Removes redundant basket dump (subtract motor and springs)
>
> Cons:
>      - Requires welding of frame
>
>      - Untested functionality and more complex parts. Thus time consuming
> to implement.
>
>      - Doesn't solve jamming problem (see mitigation 2 from above).
>
>
> My Opinion:
>
> Although we played well in Phoenix, I think we could do better with
> upgrades to the robot.  The ball dump needs to go.  The concept is cool,
> but our implementation is weak.  We are trying to do too many things,
each
> with their own mechanism.  Even if they are all working, we have more
> points of failure, and we tend to be only mediocre at preforming the
> tasks.
> We should concentrate our focus on doing something great.  This will get
> us
> noticed.
>
> We also need to get out of the panic mode of always having to fix things,
> and not have enough time to test our changes out before we go out on the
> floor.  This is stress inducing, and makes the experience less enjoyable.
> Every time we came back to the pits, it was a panic to fix something
else.
> While the Canadians next to us were out watching matches, going back to
> the
> hotel, or having fun.
>
> Therefore, I recommend that we proceed with option two.  It gets rid of
> unneeded mechanisms, and allows us to concentrate on doing something
well.
> And can be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time without welding (
I
> hope).
>
> I like the idea of the conveyor belt, and if we had a chance to get
Kareem
> back here and work on it, I would recommend that option.  However, we
only
> have Thursday to actually built and test it in Las Vegas.  This puts us
> back into panic mode trying to get working and tested.
>
>
> Other things we can do while preparing for Vegas:
>
> Although I like the cart that Mike L. made, it is a real pain to have to
> pick it up and put it down.  It is also hard to push without handles.
Can
> we make or buy a cart that would carry the robot high so we can work on
it
> up, and also have handles to help with steering.  It would also be great
> if
> the robot wheels were not on the cart, so we can test it without having
to
> use blocks.
>
> We should use our experience in what was used in Phoenix, to better help
> us
> pack for Las Vegas.  Let us take less but bring more.
>
>
> Please let me know what you think.
>
> Chris Hanson
>
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