“We came. We saw. We built.”

The mechanical team is trying to keep the sections of our robot modular, allowing easy access to all the parts of the robot and letting us build separate pieces at the same time. We are keeping the electrical board higher on the robot so it will be easy to fix loose wires that easily get stuck in the chains. Our robot should be multi-functional this year.

Information on the technologies that we used on our robots.

Chassis
Tensioner
Size

Electrical systems:

•Our robot runs on 12 volts of battery. This goes to the power distribution block, which has 20, 30, and 40 amp fuses on it to protect the motors. We use the 40 amps for 12 gauge (awg) wire (which is used with the motors). The 30 amp is used with things like the digital sidecar, being connected with 14-18 awg wire. The 20 amp is used with 20 awg wire.

•Another part of the robot is the CRio, which operates on 24 volts (we use a converter to double the voltage from 12 to 24). The CRio receives signals.

•Our robot has PWM cables, which are white, black, and red. They send signal from digital control board to what it is controlling (like Jaguars).

•Signal gets to the robot through a wireless router. It goes to CRio, then digital control board, and then to whatever it is controlling.

•Spikes supply power to our compressor.

•We have a pressure switch that opens the circuit when reaching 120 psi and shuts off the compressor.

•Solenoids direct the air for our pneumatic system by receiving signal from the breakout.

•We are using 3 light sensors and a gyroscope, which will be explained in greater detail during the programming team’s presentation. The gyroscope compares the current angle of the robot to where it started, helping us with navigation.

•Our ‘flip flop’ switch will help us adjust the height of the elevator lift during gameplay.

•We also have a camera. This goes off of the power distribution board and gets its signal from an ethernet cable, which is attached to the CRio. It is mounted on the left side of the elevator lift, and will remain in a stationary placement throughout gameplay. We have a special motor with our camera that lets us adjust the camera angle by using a twist-wheel and it rotates up and down using a servo motor.

•Our robot this year is using 1 Xbox controller and 1 joystick.