MARS 2007 Team Highlights
Significant work is done over the summer and prior to kick-off in response to member evaluations of team strengths and weaknesses. Preseason meetings focus on specific definition of student leadership and subteam roles, in addition to normal off season carwash fundraisers. A MARS team Rules/ Expectations document is created. Monthly activities focusing on community outreach and service are developed. Team promotional efforts lead to triple the number of students turning out for the new member open house. All the organizational ground work helps MARS adjust to a sudden doubling in size. Experienced team members display exceptional leadership and new students rapidly assimilate and become productive subteam members.
A big thanks to our 2007 supporters. They made this season possible!
The Game
Rack 'n' roll is an innovative approach to tic-tac-toe, made up of 2 scoring periods, played on a 54' X 26' game field. The red and blue factions are made up of alliances which are groups of three teams. In the first period, autonomous period, the robots run without human aid for 10 seconds and attempt to score points based on camera programming or a preset code. after the autonomous period teams can score points for each of their alliances using "keeper" rings and "ringer" tubes. Alliances can also spoil opposing teams points by placing black rings called "spoilers" ontop of their rings. Points are earned and scored exponentially by the number of consecutive ringers and keepers in a column or row. In the last period of the game teams can rack up bonus points by returning to their home zones and elevating the other robots off the 4" off the floor.
Major Rules include:
- Strategies aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or entanglement of robots are not in the spirit of the FIRST Robotics Competition and are not allowed.
- Use of any slped or angled feature of the robot as a wedge to overturn an opposing robot is explicitly prohibited.
A robot may attach to and/or climb onto a robot on its own alliance.
Check out the Rack 'n' Roll manual!
Our Robot
Goal: To be able to pick up tubes and score from either direction (without turning the robot around), and at all rack heights.
Noteworthy Feature: Our unique arm is designed for ease of use. A single motor control of arm height and presentation angle simplifies operator control.
Arm: A geared 4 bar that holds tubes at an angle for easy alignment on the rack. 316 degrees of motion insures quick tube delivery. Gears were custom made by the team.
Tube Gripper: Rollers powered by a motor pull tubes into the gripper. Roller direction is reversed to expel tubes.
Ramp: Deployed by a small motor and gravity from an incline track with roller bearing wheels. Made of aluminum extrusion and sheet metal, it holds one robot 12 inches off the floor.
Drive Train: 6 wheel drive for speed, power and most importantly maneuverability. The team created custom made sprockets and wheels. Formed from sheet metal (donated leftovers from a roofing project) using a spinning technique on a lathe, the wheels are filled with high density foam and covered with bike tire tread.
Chasis/Frame Fabrication: Economical and lightweight aluminum tube connected by hand cut sheet metal gussets and pop rivets
