20080326

rec_sch.gif

6500-module-spec.pdf

217199_ds.pdf

http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R11-6500.html

Reminder: Three Forms Due Tomorrow!

Hi, team!

This is a reminder that all the forms are due tomorrow:

• Parental Permission for the Transportation of Students
• Informed Consent Agreement
  Field Trip – Single Day
• 2007-08 Consent, Release, Hold Harmless and Authorization to Reproduce Physical Likeness

For the Parental Permission for the Transportation of Students form, check 2a and 2b (“parent volunteer” and “teacher or other YRDSB employee”). The first two forms are required by the school board, and the third is required by FIRST. All three need to be signed or you won’t be allowed to participate.

Other issues:

• Drivers – See post below by William. Drivers must be trained to avoid damaging the robot, as limits are NOT in place to preserve parts and it is likely that merely turning or reversing will tend to destroy the gears in the drive train the way the robot is currently configured.
• Michael on Field Trip – I won’t be at school after 9 AM tomorrow — I have a history field trip.
• PVC Rings – Someone needs to bring the PVC pipe to the tech department during 2nd or 3rd period with the specification sheet and letter that I have written. I forget who, but one of the teachers I spoke to did say that students in his Grade 11 class should be able to cut the one inch rings en masse very quickly without major issue. Bring the stuff and ask around, and hopefully a staff member in the department will know what I am talking about. We need these rings if we plan on doing any serious practice.
• Robot Turning Problems – The robot accelerates VERY slowly and has problems turning. Is it possible to use smaller wheels anymore? Failing that, can we lighten the robot in any way?
• Yearbook Photo – Jonathan wants to take a new one. ‘Nuff said.

Anyone who has any other things to mention, please feel free to comment on the site or something.

Dec 7, 2007

Well, we’re starting to actually make progress on the robot!

Goals:

• Add collar to ramp so it doesn’t fall apart. (COMPLETE)
• Add screws to ramp to pick up rings. (STARTED, INCOMPLETE)
• Find supplier for 8-32 1″ screws. (Yes, but the minimum $25 order is unattractive. Let’s make do.)
• Install bucket on robot (COMPLETE)
• Install ramp on robot (NOT DONE)
• Recharge controller battery (COMPLETE)
• Create backup pushing implement/element (???)

To Do

• Cut metal pieces where appropriate (we’re running out of metal pieces, and we’re WAY over the size limit)
• Install ramp on robot
• Adjust bucket on robot (size regulations, get the lip under the top of the ramp)
• Finish adding screws to tank treads on robot
• Program feature requests
  • runtime setting adjustment, once load settings for jumpers
  • manual control of bucket ramp (set buttons as opposed to hold buttons)
  • runtime limiters on control to avoid ruining gears (cap on accel/decel speed)
• Stress testing

Thanks to Mr. Duff — without his support, these photos never would have been taken.

Dec 2-4

Dec 2

Note: School buses were canceled.

Team 2 – Verified program could be downloaded from the new location.

Dec 3

Team 2 – Installed new program into CPU. Michael brought one foot of PVC pipe of a 10 feet length which was purchased over the weekend.

Team 3 – ?

Team 4 -?

Dec 4

Team 2 – Tested the new program with the motors — all appears to be working as expected. Ring-holding mechanism design appears to be nearing finalization. Made minor tweaks to the chassis, began assembly. Suggested the CPU be mounted sideways.

Team 3 – Cut one 1″ ring from the PVC pipe. (more???)

After school: Made plans for tomorrow. Focus will be on the conveyor belt and bucket, as well as FIRST consent/release forms and transportation to the event.

Dec 1

• Updated code for runtime four-wheel/two-wheel drive and 12-mode/23-mode/12-left-mode selection for operator control mode and autonomous mode.
• All times on posts prior to this one had the time set in UTC. This post and posts after this post will read in EST (=UTC -5).

Nov 29-30

Nov 29

Team 2 – CPU firmware was reset to the default in-box firmware and the new master code v7. The robot program will be built to meet the specs of the default firmware where possible. Robot-building teams are advised to read the Inventor’s Guide — either online (click “Reference Materials” at the top of the page) or the paper copy in the Computer Dept. Office.

Team 3 – Continued building of the robot chassis, drive train and ramp.  (REPORT?)

Team 4 – Ramp appears to be mostly complete — installation is necessary.

Lessons learned: ?

Nov 30

Team 2 – Created http://thornlearobotics.awardspace.com/ as a place to store programming files.

Nov 28

Note: Design changes to the robot should be recorded directly in the Engineering Notebook.

- Parts arrived today as expected. I guess it really is true. “Cheap, fast, and easy. Pick two.”

A bolt fell off somewhere on the robot during period two… does anyone know what happened to it?

William described today’s meeting as unorganized. The robot was built with big wheels, but it’s making noises. A ramp was made with tank treads purchased from the US, but it doesn’t work. Troubleshooting is ongoing…

Nov 19-27 Entries.

Nov 19 – Group 2 took a break

Nov 20 – Reviewed pictures from OSC Practice Competition. Jonathan e-mails info about a grant (DATE?).

Nov 21 – Decided what parts were necessary. Brainstorming based on footage review from OSC practice competition. Jonathan tells everyone about the grant, it is determined we need to figure out how “invoicing” the town will work.

Nov 22 – First Snow; buses canceled. Michael talked to the accounting secretary; gave her copy of the e-mail about the grant; she says that’s fine, will invoice the town. When money is to be claimed later, a form must be filled out with the receipt and signed by Mr. Fernandes. Planned to buy parts today, but Michael couldn’t contact Jonathan in time. (Not that it mattered anyway — see Nov 23.)

Nov 23 – Meeting to discuss current design, pitfalls, technique. Diagrams come later. Mr. Fernandes reminds Michael that Nov 22 was the American Thanksgiving, and that orders placed then wouldn’t have gone through.

Nov 26 – Set up programming environment in room 208.

Nov 27 – Basic modification made to robot program based on official competition template, but programming was interrupted due to Michael’s poor time management (i.e. he didn’t realize the period was ending). Robot state unknown. Jonathan orders parts from Vex Labs in US; paying for Int’l Express (YIKES!).

Note to self: create a template for entries that can be filled out. –Michael

Nov 13 – Engineering Notebook Temporary Entry

Second Lunch Period

Members: William, Derek, Michael, Duncan

- Start Time: 12:15 PM

- End Time 3:05 PM

Tasks

- become familiar with EasyC programing language
- test drove the robot
- think of new ideas for the attachment of new apparatuses

Reflection

Our robot is still in the development stage. We have completed the base for our robot and now we must find new ideas for the secondary function of the robot which might be a robotic arm or a ramp.

Nov 12 – Engineering Notebook Temporary Entry

Start Time: 12:15 PM

End Time: 3:05 PM

Present: Andrey, Michael, Jonathan, someone else who’s name I can’t remember

Tasks

• Double-check missing parts were obtained. (Done.)
• Build squarebot base. (Done.)
• Test easyC programming with Master V7 and QQ template. (Done.)

Reflection

• Antenna needs to be secured in antenna tube… very time consuming. (AV)
• We figured out the difference between 6-32 and 8-32 screws! (JW/AV)
• Parts were mostly correct — replacement INTERNAL gears for motors weren’t obtained — instead we had external gears. Fix that later. (MC)
• Building the battery and antenna in a way that leaves the CPU and its ports accessible will require some thinking. (??)
• Scoring mechanisms need to be developed — we have one servo motor and one drive motor left over. (MC/JW) Perhaps we can do an arm (JW) but doing that with the parts we have will be difficult (MC). Alternatively, we could do a conveyor belt + bucket system and have a panel on the back for pushing rings in the event of mechanical failure. (JW) (@Jonathan — diagrams?)
• The programming team is going to have to think about how to deal with autonomous mode, because we don’t have very many useful (i.e. no color/vision) sensors at the moment. (MC)
• 12-style driving leaves us with one stick and four buttons free for other commands. That could be useful.
• Programming takes time… especially transmitting the program. A serial to serial cable will be necessary if we want to use the serial port on a computer — otherwise, we will have to use the (slower) USB-to-serial converter. (MC)

Lessons Learned/Future Steps

• We need to develop scoring mechanisms and brainstorm how to deal with autonomous mode. (Period 2/Period 4 teams (Michael et al.; Andrey et al.) do brainstorming on paper.) In particular, Jonathan wants the low-slip pad that we’re supposed to be allowed to build a conveyor belt — obtaining all legal extra parts would be wonderful.
• The drive mechanism needs to be revamped to reduce the likelihood of failure (reduce the tendency for bars/gears to move out of place). (Assigned to Period 3 Team / Jonathan et al.)
• We need a long handset cord for testing for the robot in the pit on competition day. Does someone have this?
• Three drive modes available in stock image — remote control 23, remote control 12, and software 12 mix. Determine how these correspond with easyC programming.