Sword & Shield progress

Sword looks promising mechanically. Manipulating sacks looks very robust. It needs work on its autonomous drive.
Shield has a pretty wobbly chassis, but has proven itself by scoring 7 sacks autonomously in 25 seconds!

Shield scores autonomously

Shield Autonomous Routine Test

Sword Updates

Had difficulty with collection. We decided to copy shield's effectiveness by adding a ramp to Sword:



Currently, a long shaft prevents a full lift. This will be shortened, followed by re-installing the feeder.

I/O Pinout_semifinal

Sword:

#pragma config(Sensor, in1,    colorSense,     sensorAnalog)
#pragma config(Sensor, in2,    midFollower,    sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, in3,    leftFollower,   sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, in4,    rightFollower,  sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl1,  leftFrontSonar, sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl3,  leftBackSonar,  sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl5,  frontLiftSonar, sensorSONAR_cm)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl7,  frontCenterSonar, sensorSONAR_cm)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl9,  leftDriveEncoder, sensorRotation)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl10, rightDriveEncoder, sensorRotation)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl11, colorSet1,      sensorDigitalOut)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl12, colorSet2,      sensorDigitalOut)
#pragma config(Motor,  port1,           bumperStrafe,  tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port2,           leftDrive,     tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port3,           leftBottomLift, tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port4,           leftTopLift,   tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port5,           feed,      tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port6,           ramp,     tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port7,           rightTopLift,  tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port8,           rightBottomLift, tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port9,           rightDrive,    tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port10,          bootStrafe,    tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)



Shield

#pragma config(Sensor, in1,    colorSense,     sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, in2,    midFollower,    sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, in3,    leftFollower,   sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, in4,    rightFollower,  sensorLineFollower)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl1,  leftDriveEncoder, sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl3,  rightDriveEncoder, sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl5,  leftArmEncoder, sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragma config(Sensor, dgtl7,  rightArmEncoder, sensorQuadEncoder)
#pragma config(Motor,  port2,           feed,          tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port3,           ramp,          tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port4,           leftFrontDrive, tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port5,           rightFrontDrive, tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port6,           leftBackDrive, tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port7,           rightBackDrive, tmotorVex393, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  port8,           rightLift,     tmotorVex393, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  port9,           leftLift,      tmotorVex393, openLoop)

Shield Update

Sword and Shield

Shield's wire management for motors and encoders is complete. He needs only some light-weight walling for the cargo bay and he will be complete in terms of hardware!

The next step is to get the left arm working again. Since arm control has just been moved to the power expander, something yet-to-be-determined is preventing signal from reaching the left arm.

Then we will use the encoders to limit the arm motors so they never strain themselves when they reach maximum angles.

After that, I wish to add a command that raises the manipulator to the rim of the trough. A command to raise the manipulator slightly below the rim of the trough could also be useful for descoring. We should use the buttons on the face of the controller for this.

Outreach - Collegewood Elementary

Task: Over a 3-session period, share fundamentals of robotics and STEM applications. Students are 4th graders (9 years old)
Day 1: Build a squarebot using manual instructions.

Below: Pictures of Day 1

Prototyping New Lift Systems - "Sword"

Task: Introduce new capability to "Sword" for High Goal scoring and de-scoring while still being capable of moving underneath trough.

Action: Construct 8-bar Lift

Notes:
-Initial testing shown 1:3 ratio extremely fast, but could not lift to desired height (32+")
-Changed to 1:5 ratio and moved pivot point to top of tower, achieved height, however, concerned with how to counterweight with elastic bands

Future Work:
-Move 2 upper aluminum channels toward rear of robot to reduce compressed size
-Mount platform