Deliver the Golf Ball Challenge - Day 3

Today was the final day of construction. We were able to adjust the height of the claw so that it could grab the golf ball.

Final design

Final program

Here is a video of our final test run before our trial.

Final Thoughts:

The robot completed the course in 10.8 seconds. Due to some setbacks, we did not run more than one trial. The first time the robot finished the course, we left it as it is. Overall, its performance was good. The robot ran very smoothly, lifting the golf ball without hesitation and slipping smoothly under the bridge to deposit its load. We did not program the motors to full power because we did not know how much time we would have to test it. If I were to do this challenge differently, I would likely experiment with the power. 

I remember the time when I first used the Lego Mindstorm series to create a robot. It has been two years since then, and I am amazed in how much more sense it makes now. This was a great opportunity for me to confirm and improve my skills in coding, Lego building, and working with a partner. Something I plan on doing next time is to set a schedule for what I work on and when. That way, I'll have more time to test additional improvements to whatever I'm making. I hope there will be more opportunities such as this one. 

Deliver the Golf Ball Challenge - Day 2

Claw design #1

Today in class was the Trial 1 of the challenge. During my lunch period prior to class, I went to the Makerspace to work on the robot. I continued to build and program the robot up to where it was one command away from completing the challenge. The only problem was the elevation of the claw. It was less than a centimeter short of the height needed to drop the ball into the container.

When my partner arrived for class, we tried to increase the height of the claw, but doing this caused the ball to roll off whenever exposed to slight movement. Unfortunately, we ended up taking the entire claw portion of the robot off. Starting from scratch with the claw was not an easy task, especially since we felt pressured for time. Next class is the second trial. Hopefully we will finish by then. 

Here is the Google document that my partner and I plan on using to record any additional work. 

Deliver the Golf Ball Challenge - Day 1

Today we started our first engineering challenge of the year. Prior to this day, we practiced using the Lego Mindstorm Robot, learning how to assemble and program the machine to our desires. The challenge presented to us was called the "Deliver the Golf Ball Challenge", where we must design a machine that can move a golf ball from one place to another in the smallest amount of time.

Function	First the robot needs to stop at the pickup podium and capture the golf ball. Then it must back up from the loading area and pass under a wooden board. Lastly, the robot must move towards the side of the finish, head towards the bin, and deposit the golf ball into the container. All should be done in the shortest time possible without the builder touching the robot or the robot dropping the golf ball.
Systems	There are two main systems that must function flawlessly in order to complete the challenge. The first system is the chassis of the robot. There must be a strong base that is both short and compact so it may fit under the lowest point of the wooden board. Aerodynamics do not apply in this situation. The second system is a claw. The claw must be an appropriate height so it may reach over the loading and deposit areas. The claw must also be sturdy so as not to drop the golf ball when the robot is in motion.
Integration	*see sketch below*  As for mass distribution, the robot will have a heavier back side and a lighter front (where the claw is). This will hopefully be more balanced. For the forward and backwards torque, we will start by keeping it at the default 75% power. For turns, we will lower it to prevent the ball from coming off the claw.

Brainstorming sketch of design

We figured that the claw would be the most important part of the design; if it is unable to support the golf ball, we will automatically fail the challenge. Something we are working on is the stability of the claw, in other words, how it will hold up against weight and sudden movements. 

Close up of claw

Here is our robot by the end of Day 1. Next class, we plan on testing our design. Based on the test, changes may be made. 

Robot by the end of Day 1