Sumo Bots C

[Primate]

Competitors should check with their tournament directors to find out what surface they will be competing on. Each tournament has to use the facilities provided. If the event is being held in a gymnasium and the school doesn't want the robots running directly on their gym floor, then the event supervisor will have to provide some type of surface to cover the floor.

If you check ahead of time, that gives you the opportunity to alter your bot to avoid problems like getting caught on electrical tape. As for the plywood rings, there are two methods of avoiding problems with those: either build a bot that can get back onto the plywood if you accidentally drive off or practice until you are good enough that you won't drive off yourself.

May I ask, then, what the plan is for the New York state competition this year?

[JBoyd-NY]

We will be using plywood rings, as in the past. The rings will be made from cabinet grade 3/4" plywood, coated with polyurethane. In Division C they will be 5' x 5', as stated in the rules. In Division B the size of the rings will be announced following impound, as stated in the rules. This information will be posted in the next few days on the Rules Clarification page of the NY web site, so that it is available to all teams.

[harryk]

What was the sumo ring made of at the nationals in previous years? Was it raised or on the floor? Did they use tape to mark the edges?

I think a lot of teams are going to be at a disadvantage if they build a razor sharp scoop that gets hung up on electrical tape. If the ring is raised, a lot of bots won't be able to get back on if they accidentally drive off.

It was a raised plywood ring at nats last year

[satchellwk]

Ok, this is my first year doing science olympiad, and I'm doing the sumobots, and there was part of the rules that I would like to get clarified. Does the robot have to be operated with a remote controller, because my partner and I are thinking about operating it through a laptop computer, is that allowed?

[maggymay]

Ok, this is my first year doing science olympiad, and I'm doing the sumobots, and there was part of the rules that I would like to get clarified. Does the robot have to be operated with a remote controller, because my partner and I are thinking about operating it through a laptop computer, is that allowed?

Our first year too ... Someone else who actually knows what they're doing will probably happen along before too long. Anyway, I'm not sure about the laptop (or not) but your SumoBot must have the ability to operate on three different frequencies between your transmitter and your receiver. How would you handle that with a laptop?

[satchellwk]

Well, Im not really the tech guy in our group, more of the structural design guy, but what I think we're doing is having it on wifi and using the 2.4 ghz frequency, like bluetooth and the three sub-frequencies wont be a problem since it automatically picks an available frequency. I just hope that we'll be able to use the laptop, because our entire current design relies on it.

[maggymay]

Well, Im not really the tech guy in our group, more of the structural design guy, but what I think we're doing is having it on wifi and using the 2.4 ghz frequency, like bluetooth and the three sub-frequencies wont be a problem since it automatically picks an available frequency. I just hope that we'll be able to use the laptop, because our entire current design relies on it.

If you're using bluetooth that is covered in an official Clarification on the National website. Maybe check with your Regional/State Director and ask what their official policy is on using a laptop (though I'm not sure what else would run bluetooth other than a computer, now that I think about it...)

[Primate]

My concern is that computer transmitters could easily be used to sneak in an autonomously-controlled robot. While I don't doubt that the arrow keys or mouse could successfully be used to control a robot, there's certainly the possibility.

Also, isn't trying to integrate a WiFi receiver with standard R/C equipment more time and money than it's worth? The only WiFi bot I can find actually used a Linksys router...


Edit: Looks like Arduino has neat little product that lets you connect via bluetooth, and you could write a simple program to control your bot.There's even a RCKit made specifically for Arduino. I suppose it's feasible, if you're willing to put in the extra debugging time and get a clarification allowing laptops. (it actually looks really neat)

How does your design rely on the use of the laptop?

[JBoyd-NY]

At Nationals last year there was bot that had a radio control transmitter connected to a laptop, using bluetooth. I don't remember what school it was, but there is definitely at least one r/c system available that connects to a laptop to use bluetooth to control the bot.

[satchellwk]

Well, The robot is actually has one netbook laptop inside of it that acts as the control panel of sorts and is controled via bluetooth by another laptop. I really don't know how we could control the laptop inside the robot without using another computer.
Here's the basic concept of our robot, but with a different structure

http://liliputing.com/2008/12/building- ... robot.html