Ashley Oyervide
Portfolio
Robot Soccer
This unit will teach us how to play robot soccer with your ClawBot! Robot soccer is played in two-vs.-two matchups. To score, your squad must move a bucketball through the opposing goal! During this unit, we learned about several manipulators that can assist your team in scoring more goals.
DEFINE
During this stage of the engineering design process, my partner and I defined and looked into how to score, defined the game rules, built a Clawbot to begin off the tournament, and finally examined the game strategy. In addition, we competed in smaller challenges along the road to prepare for the ultimate 2 against 2 robot soccer competition , which was the first VEX EXP practice competition in Unit 2.
Scoring & Game Rules
• Played on a 3' x 4' field with walls.
• Walls removed to represent team goals.
• Robots compete in one-robot vs. one-robot
competition.
• Buckyball placed in center of field.
Robot Soccer Game Overview
• Goal-scoring objective: Score as many goals as possible in a 60-second match.
• Goal-eligibility: Buckyball must be placed through the opposing team's goal.
• Game is completely driver-controlled.
• Goal-scoring: Stop timer, reset Field, resume play.
• Robots and attachments: Made from EXP Kit, no outside pieces allowed.
• Robots must fit inside starting square at start of match.
Building the ClawBot
My partner and I built the clawBot using all parts from the VEX EXP kit, which we learnt how to use along on our journey. It took us some time to remember what the parts' names were. In addition, this ClawBot served as a foundation for my partner's and my final robot in the robot soccer competition. The clawbot could readily navigate across the field because it showed two Anti-Static Omni-Directional wheels and two Anti-Static wheels.
After building the Clawbot, my partner and I began learning about the many types of manipulators, including passive and active manipulators.
Manipulators
Manipulator: a mechanism designed to manipulate an object in order to complete a specific task
● A manipulator can be used to accomplish a variety of tasks in a variety of environments, like robotic arms in a factory, or a plow attachment to move snow.
Passive Manipulators Active Manipulators
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Has no power source or motor attached
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Useful for pushing, pulling, or gathering
objects
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Easier to build, and can weigh less on your
robot since it does not include a motor
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Example: plow designs
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Has a power source or motor attached; can be controlled (using VEXcode EXP or the Controller)
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Useful for grabbing, lifting, or intake/outtake of objects
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Can use a variety of construction to move pieces of the manipulator (i.e. direct connection; chain and sprocket; gear train, etc.)
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Examples: arms; claws; intakes
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What makes an effective manipulator?
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○ The design of a manipulator is directly related to the object it is designed to interact
with, and the task it is meant to accomplish
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○ Considerations for manipulator design include:
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The size and shape of the object being manipulated
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How the object is meant to be moved (pushed, pulled, gripped, lifted, etc.)
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The weight of the manipulator on your robot
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The parts you have available
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Intake
Intake: an active manipulator that is a mechanism that can gather, pull in, push out, or otherwise retrieve objects
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There are many different ways to design and build an intake for your robot. An effective intake
is made to suit the object it is trying to collect, and the task it is trying to accomplish with that object.
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In an intake mechanism, the motor connects to a spinning portion of the manipulator, which turns to intake (or pull in) an object.
○ Reversing the direction of the motor will reverse the direction of the intake, so the object can be pushed out (outtake)
Develop Solutions
1. At the beginning we were thinking of building the catapultbot but our friend let us test drive and we figured that it was not working out
2. We also added 1 ballon tire in each side so it would get a good grip of the ball
3.We also coded the arm so it goes fast .
4. Me and my partner started to test out what wheels we wanted to use
5.Lastly we came up with some game strategy's and went to practice and we choose who was going to drive
Practice Field
1.During the time we had in the practice field me and my partner were timing ourselves and seeing who is faster at picking up the Bucky ball
2. A problem that we faced was that the catapult bot kept getting underneath our bot
3. A strategy that was justified that we couldn't use was that we couldn't put our arm up and force the robot out
4.We identified who was going to drive and Pamela was driving and I was the drive coach
5.We started to scout teams and look for our future alliance and plan game strategies
Game strategy
I and my teammates had plenty of time to practice and prepare for the robot soccer challenge. We not only scouted, but also practiced with our basebot how to catch the buckyballs and score. During our practice, we recorded fresh ideas and techniques to try out. We also competed one-on-one with another classmate to gain direct knowledge and understanding of what the competition will be like.
Optimize
The competition focused on optimizing wheel combinations and driver controller configurations. The team, including the author and partner, chose a balloon tire front and travel tire back wheel combination using a split arcade one. This was the most accurate and easiest choice, resulting in better steering and turning, no wall contact, and an end time of less than 10 seconds.
Robot Design
The robot soccer basebot's mechanisms included its claw, brain wheels, and motors. All of these factors contributed to the robot's ability to perform optimally. My team's chosen color was green, thus the brain had to be that hue. We used the omni tire in the front and the travel size tire in the back of the robot. As well as split drive. These combinations produced the best results in the competition, and they are what my partner and I felt most comfortable driving.
ballon tire
60T High Strength gear
Despite the fact that my team did not advance to the final round, I had a great time participating in the challenge. I had the opportunity to coach the robot that my partner and I designed together and compete against other excellent robots using the plan we devised. Not only that, but I also gained additional coding experience, learned more about how different robot mechanisms work, how to design an effective manipulator, and developed skills like teamwork and communication with others.