2012

Our team recognized early on in the season that with the limited number of balls on the field, acquiring balls quickly and making every shot count would be very important. These shots also need to be taken quickly without needing much time to line up, even if the robot is under heavy defense. Furthermore, a low center of gravity was desired for easier bump traversal and bridge balancing. With a full-width pickup, high speed elevator, and a software-automated turret, our robot achieves all these criteria and is able to make close range shots quickly with near 100% accuracy, even under heavy defense.

• Custom two-speed shift-on-the-fly transmission: 6 and 17 feet per second
• 8wd “West Coast Drive” base: Light, robust, and easy to maintain
• Full-width pickup: Easy ball acquisition, doubles as a bridge manipulator
• Elevator/hopper: ~0.5 second lift to 84″ high, counterbalanced via constant force spring, holds 3 balls, very low center-of-gravity when retracted
• Turreted shooter: ~0.5 second 360 degree rotation, 2 position hood
• Software-assisted operation: Automatic pickup and shoot sequences, automated turret aiming, off-board image processing for maximum performance