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mics2015.html
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<! DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles/mainStyle.css" type="text/css">
</head>
<h1>MICS Robotics (2015)</h1>
<p>
As in 2014, I participated in the 2015 MICS Robotics contest. I worked with a team of 4 others to design and construct a small
robot to complete a challenge. This year is a bit unique because the challenge is essentially the exact same thing that it was last year.
</p>
<p>
To clarify, the only real change between last year this year, is the addition of a rule requiring that a ball make contact with the
back wall of the field before it can be shot again. This rule would disqualify both the first and second place robots from last year.
My team's 2014 robot, however, managed to take third place without resorting to questionable tactics; and could compete again this
year without any modifications whatsoever.
</p>
<p>
Although we could just reuse last year's robot again, and probably do quite well with it, we have decided to make an effort to redesign
portions of it.
</p>
<h2> Robot Summary </h2>
<div class="row">
<div>
<h3> Structure </h3>
<p>
This year, as in 2014, our robot is primarily composed of Legos. We also made liberal use of cable ties. Major structual changes are:
</p>
<ul>
<li>Reduced chain angle and shortened chain</li>
<li>Added rubber band powered flipper mechanism</li>
</ul>
<p>
The rubber band flipper mechanism was intended to improve upon our 2014 design by keeping the chain-based collection mechanism, but increasing its range. This addressed our problem with needing to get very close to the boundry line to shoot, which, due to the inaccuracies in our distance sensors, often resulted in being penalized for crossing the boundry line.
</p>
</div>
<div>
<img src="assets/images/neuChainzStructure.jpg.webp" />
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div>
<h3> Drivetrain </h3>
<p>
We reused last year's drivetrain with few, if any, physical modifications.
It uses 4, independently driven mechanum wheels. Each wheel is driven by a lego NXT motor, which include encoders.
It has the same flaws at it did in 2014; namely its tendency to slide towards the rear wall of the field as it strafes sideways.
</p>
</div>
<div>
<figure class="centerCaption centerBlockItem">
<img src="assets/images/neuchainz1.JPG.webp" /> <!--Photo Credit: Myles Gavic <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mylesgavic> -->
<figcaption>photo by Myles Gavic</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div>
<figure class="centerCaption centerBlockItem">
<img src="assets/images/neuchainz2.JPG.webp" /> <!--Photo Credit: Myles Gavic <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mylesgavic> -->
<figcaption>photo by Myles Gavic</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<div>
<h3> Control </h3>
<p>
Like last year, we are using an NXShield-DX with an Arduino. The only big change we made was the replacment of
the h-bridge with a <a href="http://www.mindsensors.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=134">NXTMMX multiplexer</a>, which allowed
us to do away with end stops / limit switches and instead make use of the NXT motors' built in encoders.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div>
<h3>Competition Results</h3>
My team did not place at the 2015 competition, due to a number of flaws in our design, and several issues
with batteries.
The other team from UMM, however, came reasonably close to winning. They suffered from constant issues
with their batteries, which has led us to investigate alternatives to AA battery packs for future robots.
</div>
</div>
</html>