Skid Tank Steering Skid Tank Steering ROBOT A

Skid (Tank) Steering

Skid (Tank) Steering ROBOT A B

Building a Robot Skid (Tank) Steering ROBOT How to be sure it will go straight? A B

Building a Robot Skid (Tank) Steering T O B RO A How to be sure it will rotate correctly? B

Building a Robot Skid (Tank) Steering ROB OT A How to be sure it will rotate correctly? B

RO T O B 4 Wheels vs. 2 Wheels What is better, four wheels or two wheels?

Building a Robot ROB OT BOT O R 4 Wheels vs. 2 Wheels Think always about the center of gravity for your wheeled vehicle

Building a Robot ROB OT BOT O R 4 Wheels vs. 2 Wheels

Center of Gravity Bad designs? good designs?

Building a Robot Center of Gravity Often the answer depends on your requirements, the specification of the robot

Building a Robot Center of Gravity

Wheelbase

Building a Robot Wheelbase

Building a Robot Wheelbase You must consider early in design how you want your robot to rotate and move in narrow spaces.

Building a Robot Wheelbase

Chain Alignment motor • Important aspect of design is the alignment of chains, gears or pulleys. • This relates also to cams and fourbars.

Supporting Shafts motor

Building a Robot Supporting Shafts motor Shafts must be well-supported!

Building a Robot Supporting Shafts motor • This is a really bad design. • Many early designs from this class were like this, although I told students not to do this.

Building a Robot Supporting Shafts motor

Building a Robot Supporting Shafts motor Best designs, If you can.

Pivots • There are many pivots in robot arms, head, legs, etc. • Do not forget to design them well Teflon Washer Nylock Steel Washer

Robot Base Example It is good to have some experience with advanced robot kits like Tetrix of Vex before you design your own robot parts.

Building a Robot

Robot design goals • Simple: easy to replicate and less to go wrong! – Ask: Is there an easier solution? • Robust: don’t want robots falling apart on the table! • Compact – Small enough to turn in tight spaces – Keep the center of gravity between the wheels – Wire routing – tuck wires in so they don’t get pulled loose • Predictable and reliable – Behavior should be consistent and repeatable • Aesthetics: it’s nice to have a good looking robot!

Some Robust Techniques • • • Shielding light sensors Solid construction Using good batteries Going straight (enough) Reliable Navigation

Dynamic Environment 1. Even with good design, construction and programming, there can still be problems 2. At first, robots and programs are designed assuming a well known (static) environment without any interference 3. Unfortunately, things do change: sunlight, spotlights, camera flashes, dust on the tables and wheels, the battery power level, etc 4. There are ways to mitigate some of these

Materials used 1. Zan Hecht 2. Nathan Gray 3. Gaurav S. Sukhatme