Robotics Feedback/review

Friction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.

Positive Roles of friction:

Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
- make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
- Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
- Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
- Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?

Negative Roles of friction:

If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.

Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking

The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.

You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:

Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex oneFriction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.

Positive Roles of friction:
- Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
- Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
- If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
  - make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
  - Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
  - Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
  - Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?
Negative Roles of friction:
- If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
- Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
- Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
- If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.
Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking
The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.
You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:
- Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
- mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
- Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex oneFriction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.
  
  Positive Roles of friction:
  - Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
  - Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
  - If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
    - make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
    - Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
    - Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
    - Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?
  Negative Roles of friction:
  - If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
  - Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
  - Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
  - If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.
  Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking
  The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.
  You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:
  - Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
  - mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
  - Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex oneFriction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.
    
    Positive Roles of friction:
    - Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
    - Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
    - If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
      - make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
      - Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
      - Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
      - Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?
    Negative Roles of friction:
    - If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
    - Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
    - Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
    - If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.
    Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking
    The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.
    You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:
    - Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
    - mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
    - Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex oneFriction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.
      
      Positive Roles of friction:
      - Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
      - Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
      - If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
        make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
        Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
        Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
        Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?
      Negative Roles of friction:
      - If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
      - Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
      - Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
      - If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.
      Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking
      The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.
      You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:
      - Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
      - mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
      - Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex oneFriction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.
        
        Positive Roles of friction:
        Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
        Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
        If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
        make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
        Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
        Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
        Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?
        Negative Roles of friction:
        If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
        Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
        Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
        If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.
        
        Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking
        The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.
        You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:
        Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
        mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
        Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex oneFriction - the force that works against movement (it keeps things from moving easily). If it was not for friction, you would be slipping around everywhere and would not be able to walk and you could not drive a vehicle because it would have a hard time stopping.
        
        Positive Roles of friction:
        Gives the robot wheels traction. The robot needs as much traction as possible in order to move against other robots.
        Any pushing contact with the other robots need to have some friction otherwise the opposing robot will slip off and not get pushed.
        If an opposing robot attempts to push your robot, you want your robot to present the most friction as possible. Ways to do this:
        make your robot heavier (so that the wheels press down more)
        Increase surface area of the rubber material (more wheels: 4 instead of 2, heavier robot, softer rubber, clean wheels)
        Have a wide wheel base and low center of gravity.
        Is there some other way of using the opposing robot’s on weight against them?
        Negative Roles of friction:
        If the opposing robot presents MORE friction than our robot, we will lose every battle.
        Our robot must find a way to reduce the opposing robot’s use of friction against it. Ways to reduce opponent’s friction: get under the opponents wheels or lift the other robot with a ramp, for example.
        Our robot turning will encounter more friction if the wheel base is too wide, reducing our mobility.
        If the gears inside our robot’s gear train encounter too much friction, they will not convert the energy from the motor to useful motion of the wheels.
        
        Tradeoffs in Engineering Thinking
        The main role of an Engineer is to assess tradeoffs and select the best balance between competing positive benefits and reduce negative outcomes.
        You need to provide more than just the tradeoff that I gave you as an example in the question (torque vs speed). Some examples are:
        Speed vs torque: if your robot is faster than other robots, it will be able to out-maneuver other robots and get out of the way from being pushed and get more chances to push other robots. However, it still needs to be strong enough to push other robots so there is a balance between speed and torque that must be found.
        mobility vs more friction/grip that will keep other robots from easily pushing your robot. To increase grip/traction of your robot’s wheels, you can have a heavier robot with as wide wheel base as possible. However, this also reduces your robot’s ability to be agile and get into positions that will push other robots and also avoid being an easy target.
        Complexity vs Simplicity: you need to maximize your use of time in development of possible robot strategies while producing a workable and easily constructed robot. Some people may think to use ultrasound. THis is a difficult sensor to use so it can only be used in the simplest ways possible. If you plan to “scan” for other robots, this is a complex task and will yield very low success results most of the time - it is not worth implementing this with the time that you have to develop properly for this project. It is better to have a simple, reliable strategy than to have a complex one

where there are many possible points of failure before a complex strategy can be successful.
Time constraints - how did you maximize your use of time? Maybe you decided to focus on having the robot stay on the table, no matter what the sensors. Also consider the time spent for initial development vs testing robot and making improvements. If your design is too complex, it will take you longer to develop it and you will have less time to test and improve it. How much better would your robot be if you had tested it more?

A winning strategy:

Maximize number of motors - this will give robot maximum amount of pushing power and mobility. It will maximize speed also. All 3 motors must run at the same speed.
Extra gears are a distraction and complicating factors, requiring gear boxes and also difficult to match all 3 motor’s speeds.
Run motors as fast as possible ALL the time. This will help to keep your robot from being pushed because it will always be moving.
3 point wheel base. Maximize mobility while balancing amount of friction
Maximize friction by selecting the softest, widest wheels and making robot as heavy as possible. Put everything you can legally find, including the charger on top of the robot.
Absolute #1 priority is staying on the table. If your robot cannot reliably stay on the table, it has already lost because it does not need an opponent in order to be defeated.
Place light sensors as far as possible in front of wheels. You will need 2 light sensors in front of the left and right corners of the robot. If your robot is too fast, its momentum will carry it off the table unless the sensors give enough early warning.
Any extra sensors are not necessary and are distractions and complicating factors, reducing the simplicity of your robot.
Momentum is speed x mass. Force = mass x acceleration. It is easier to push other robots if your robot is travelling as fast as possible and runs into the other robot.
Use a ramp to reduce opposing robot’s wheel friction.
If properly angled, with a wheel under the ramp, then when hitting another robot, your robot will use the other robot’s weight to increase friction for pushing the other robot easier.