Robotic Competition

On October 15, 2011, we had a robotic competition where we saw everyone do their best. The people worked just as hard as those who were driving. We had also done the best we can as well. Nine teams had competed for BEST, and we had done well. We had come in second place in doing the game course with the robot, and overall we got third place for BEST. Even though we didn't make it to state, everyone did their best and will continue to do so.

Journal - Oct. 6 from Aug. 27

Thursday, October 6

            Today, we had attempted to make a bungee assist for the arm, we had replaced the small cage gear, C of G was fixed, and the claw for the arm was continued to be worked on as well.

Monday, October 3

            The wheels were tested today and were deemed okay.

Saturday, October 1

            Eight different set of wheels were made for the robot due to the problems we were experiencing with the driving. Also on this same day, we had a team, out of the district, come in and borrow our facility to test their robot.

Monday, September 26

            The robot was road tested, and complications with the motor wheels and the motor arose. Only one wheel was turning while the other stayed still which wouldn’t allow the robot to move upward on the pvc pipes. Eric had then started to create the real arm extension.

Saturday, September 24

            The robot had been called Arthur. We had also decided on being the “Bugbusters.” Eric continues on modifying the arm extension prototype, while Jacob works on the motor for the upright section of the robot. John created a second prototype for the claw out of wood. Later, the motor on the arm is tested and workable. More brainstorming is done for the arm extension. 

Friday, September 23

            One of the claw prototypes has been finished. Eric had continued to work on the arm extension. Pieces on the upright section were painted, and a list of what was used on the robot was made. The circulatory motor on the upright section is then tested and had worked out fine. We had also brainstormed about the add-ons we should have on the robot, for example, a mirror on the robot to be able to see the inside of the shed.

Thursday, September 22

            Work on the upright section was continued to be made, while other prototypes for the arm were tested and re-done. 

Wednesday, September 21

            New wheels were made due to the robot not being able to go over the pvc pipes.

Tuesday, August 30

            This day we had just gone over all the safety lessons. We had also learned how and what the machines were called.

Monday, August 29

            Orientation Day

Friday, August 27

            Clean up day. Jacob and Shawn had come up to help Mr. Bulchotz clean up.

Tuesday, September 20

            The platform for the robot was remade and upgraded in order to being able to get past the wood section in the game. Everything was then added back onto the new platform.

Wednesday, August 31

            Today, we had all undergone a mission given to us by Mr. Buclhotz. We had to work as a team and brainstorm before we had started on our “robot arm.” AT the beginning everything went well, but once we had started creating the arm, everyone had gone off doing their own things and at the end had failed the mission.

Monday, September 19

            Christina continues to work on the upright section. Eric continues to work on the arm extension, and Nathan continues to work on the prototype for the claw.

Saturday, September 17

            The circular plastic gear is finished being made by Sabina, and it is finally sanded down as well to make the gaps smooth enough for the screws.

Friday, September 16

            During mid-day Sabina had come in to being making the circular plastic gear for the arm to increase the torch for lifting the arm and claw mechanism. No other work on the robot had been made.

Wednesday, September 14

            The wheels had been sanded by Cristina, who had just joined. Extensions on the arm were started to be made by Eric. Jacob had continued to work on the wheel casters, and an extra set of wheels were being made. Also Nathan worked on the grabbing mechanism of the arm.

Tuesday, September 13

            Prototype day – Nathan had worked on the prototype mechanism, and Jacob had worked on the caster. Sabina had worked on trying to make designs for the t-shirt and continued to work on the journal to help out with the notebook.

Saturday, September 10

            Training meet – Sabina and Mikayla worked on designing the t-shirt and started making the coloring books for the little and older kids. John had then worked on the caster, and the new skids were put on by Jacob.

Friday, September 9

            John had started to work on the caster for the wheels. Jacob had soldered on the wires to the brain. Also, Eric has worked on making a holder for the battery out of a pvc.

Tuesday, Sept. 6

            Platform redone – the old platform was too short. New wheel mounts were made. Confusion settled as some of us thought that it was the motor mounds that was were suppose to be made. Thankfully, we made it through.

Monday, Sept. 5

            First day of building. The family starts off with measuring and cutting the board and the wheels. The wheels are eventually sanded to be smooth. Afterwards, progress was made on the placement of the motors and they are then mounted on the board. While they were doing this, our programmer Eric programmed the brain and finished as well. So far progress is being made really well. Skids are then later made along with an upright support, which helps us to know where the max of the height is.

            While the kids were working the adults worked on trying to help us by building the game course for us.

Saturday, Sept.3

Kick Off Day – WE BECOME FAMILY. Everyone had rides, and some of us carpooled to save gas. None of the students rode with the teachers for safety issues. We arrived at TCU an hour early and settled. We had a meeting with everyone, and we got what the game was about and received our starter kit for the robot. By the end of the conference we had helped the volunteers and workers put away all the materials they had brought in for the game course. We had all gone to Whataburger afterwards except for a couple who had to leave. After a nice lunch we had headed back to the BCTAL and talked about how we will design the robot… the starting point. We brainstormed, and by the end of the day we went home with our homework assignment which was to have some ideas on how we thought the robot arm should be. It was a great day.

Thursday, Sept. 1

            We had gone over how to solder, but first we had practiced safety lessons on how to solder correctly. Everyone had then practiced how to solder. Later that day, we had also had Meet the Teacher night as well.

Wednesday, Sept. 7

            Adjustments were made for the wheel. Realizing that the smooth rims on the wheels couldn’t climb over the pipes in the course, extra work was put into making a new pair of wheels with scallops in them to enable them the ability to climb. Work was put into how deep and how wide we wanted the scallops to be.

Monday, September 12

            Everyone had started to brainstorm on what to do for the arm. Paint was also pout on the wheels as well.

Thursday, September 15

            Some of the boys brainstormed and made prototypes on how the arm should like, while a new set of wheels was also cut out by Cristina as well. Eric had continued to work on the arm extensions for the robot.