Sample Robot #1

• Video clips of the sample robot attempting mock mission #2:
• Unsuccessful (almost always)
• Successful (hardly ever)
• Summary:
• Large drive wheels on center axis, under RCX body.
• Motors behind RCX body drive each wheel via a medium gear pressed against the tire!
• Two large raised idler wheels (without tires) on center line.
• Ball arm, with a tipping basket, directly connected to a motor axle.
• No sensors.
• Good features:
• Good traction on smooth or carpet surfaces.
• Medium fast motion.
• Works forward and backwards.
• Excellent turning ability (can turn in place).
• Ok climbing ability.
• Wheel drive is simple and reliable (direct "rim" drive).
• Ball arm is simple and reliable (direct drive, no gears or belts).
• No sensors makes the robot and programming simple.
• Small compact design.
• It is sometimes successful at dropping a ball in a container (mission 2).
• Not so good features:
• Sometimes this robot does not go very straight.  It originally tended to pull to the left, especially going backwards.
• by adjusting the wheels, which apparently were rubbing, this problem greatly reduced
• The ball arm is great for dropping a ball, but not reliable for putting it in a container that may be a few inches away.
• No sensors means the exact layout of the course must be known, timing in the program is adjusted by trial and error.
• Distance travelled might depend on battery condition, surface, etc.
• It is only successful about 1 in 10 times at dropping a ball in a container (mission 2).