Log 5

This week the entire class gave presentations on their senior projects.  These presentations were the test run for the formal progress update which is next week.  I, however, did not give my presentation because I had just returned from the doctor's office.  I will have a test run presentation before I give my formal progress update.  These presentations describe where each student is in his project and where he intends to go with it.

Alternate Solutions

Claw- The claw is a very versatile tool.  It can be mounted to an arm in conjunction with the wrist kit.  The claw can be used for each of the aquatic challenges and the terrestrial challenge.  Using the claw for most of the challenges will save space on the hull of the VEX robot; this leaves room for a storage bay for the eggs, and it will not be as heavy in the water.  The claw can grab the ball off of the hull and place it through the hoop.  The claw can grab the stranded vessel and tug it to safety.  The claw can grab the enemy vessel by the side and flip it over.  The claw can also grab the buoy from the hull and place it into the water.

Scoop- The scoop will be mounted on the front end of the VEX robot and only be used for the terrestrial challenge.  A winch and pulley system will be attached to the scoop in order to allow it to move up and down.  As it approaches the piping plover nest, the scoop will be lowered and the robot moved forward.  The eggs will slide into the scoop, and then it will be raised.

Slingshot- The sling shot will be mounted to the VEX robot’s aquatic variant at an angle.  A ball will be placed in the sling of the slingshot and a mechanical arm, attached to the rack gear box bracket, will pull the sling back.  At the proper moment, the sling will be released and the ball will fly through the air and through the help.

Pinball Mechanism- This will be mounted to the aquatic version of the VEX robot at an angle.   A ball will be placed at the end of the plunger.  A mechanical arm will pull back the plunger and let it go.  This is the same basic idea as the slingshot; although, this will require more energy to pull than the sling shot.

Mechanical Arm with a Hook-This will be mounted to the aquatic variant of the VEX robot and be used to tug the stranded vessel.  As the VEX robot approaches the stranded vessel, the arm will drop into the stranded vessel.  The hook will latch on to it and the VEX robot will propel forward tugging the vessel behind it.  When the destination is reached, the arm will be raised again.  This could also be used to sink the enemy vessel.  It either will grab the edge of the enemy vessel and pull down, or grab the bottom and flip up.   A different arm, mounted horizontally, will knock the buoy off of the hull and into the water.

Magnet- The magnet will be attached to the aft end the VEX robot and to the stranded vessel.  Once the VEX robot has lined up with the opposing magnets, they will be turned on.  The VEX robot will carry on to the destination at which point the magnets will be turned off and the vessel will have reached its destination. 

Bucket- A small bucket will be attached to the side of the VEX robot.  This will be dipped into the water and the water will be dumped into the enemy vessel.  This will eventually sink the enemy vessel.

Slide- This will be a trough mounted on the hull of the VEX robot.  A buoy will be placed at the top; when the destination is reached, the trough will be raised and the buoy will slide out of the trough and into the water.  The trough will be lowered back down and the VEX robot will carry on with the rest of the course.
 

Scissors- The scissors will be mounted to the bow of the VEX robot.  They will be hooked up to a two-wire motor which will allow the scissor mechanism to function by remote.  This will cut through the finish line.

Blade- The blade will be mounted to the bow of the VEX robot with the sharp end facing forward.  It will just slice through the finish line.

Testing Procedures

            The final solution of the terrestrial VEX robot must be able to safely relocate the eggs of the endangered piping plover without damaging the surrounding environment.  The final solution for the aquatic variant of the VEX robot must be able to maneuver around a 10’ by 10’ by 10’ tank and complete a set of challenges.  These challenges are placing a ball through a hoop, towing a friendly vessel, planting a buoy, sinking an enemy vessel, and cutting the finish line. 

My group will give a series of tests, ranging from preliminary tests to final tests, on the VEX robot design in order to create the optimum VEX robot.  There are a various amounts of testing that go into the process of creating a VEX robot, and these include exploratory tests, assessment tests, validation tests, and comparison tests. Exploratory tests are questions which are asked by each group in order to begin designing.  Assessment tests are used to determine the creation and development the alternate solutions.  Validation tests are the tests given to each alternate solution during the rationale process to determine the best solution.  Comparison tests are tests given to possible the apparatuses in order to define the better solution.

Exploratory tests:

·         What are the challenges that need to be completed?

·         How can we complete each challenge?

·         How could this product be used in the real world?

·         Would this design appeal to environmentalists? (to save the piping plover)

·         Would this design appeal to the Coast Guard? (to complete the AIM challenges)

·         What kind of materials do we need to construct such a machine?

Assessment tests:

·         Will the machine complete all of the tasks?

·         Is the VEX robot efficient?

·         Would each apparatus be effective in doing its specialized task?

·         Is the VEX robot practical?

Validation tests:

·         Can this design be constructed?

·         Will it be able to complete each challenge without major error?

·         Is the VEX robot usable?

Comparison tests:

·         Is the claw more accurate than the slingshot?

·         Is it more efficient to use the mechanical arm to tow a vessel or use electromagnets?

·         Is it easier to build and use to use a claw to plant a buoy over a slide to drop the buoy?

·         Which would be better equipped to sink a boat? A claw or an arm?

Design Questions:

Useful

·         Can the VEX Robot parts complete all of the challenges both aquatic and terrestrial?

·         Does the VEX Robot float and fit in the tank for the aquatic challenges?

·         Can the VEX Robot easily traverse the sand dunes without leaving deep tracks?

Usable

·         Is it portable enough for one man to carry?

·         Does the remote controller properly relay commands to each apparatus?

Desirable

·         Is the movement through the water efficient?

·         Will anything hinder the mobility of the craft while on land?

·         Does it look pleasing to the eye?

Producible

·         Is the VEX Robot assembled in way that will not be extremely difficult?

·         Are the materials easy to find and relatively inexpensive?

Differentiated

·         Does each apparatus efficiently complete each challenge?

·         Does it work better than any other possible solution?

Summer Research

  

Embach,Carolyn. (2011).Oilspills:impact on the ocean.Retrieved fromhttp://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Oc-Po/Oil-Spills-Impact-on-the-Ocean.html

Heimbuch,Jaymi. (2010, August 08).Oilspill clean-up concept uses recycled plastic bottles :treehugger.Retrieved from

Protobotrobot kit.(2010). Retrieved fromhttp://www.vexrobotics.com/products/vex-robot-starter-bundles/276-2231.html

Whatis vex?.(2010, May 31). Retrieved fromhttp://www.vexrobotics.com/

Birdnest beach rhodos.(2011, April 24). Retrieved fromhttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bird_nest_beach_Rhodos_10.JPG

Clark,Josh. (2007, November 30).Howdo you clean up an oil spill?.Retrieved fromhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/cleaning-oil-spill1.htm

Beachnesting birds.(2011, June 13). Retrieved from http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/bnb02.htm

Basicelectronic components for robots.(2005). Retrieved from http://www.societyofrobots.com/electronics_basic_components_tutorial.shtml

Harris,Tom. (2002, April 06).Howrobots work.Retrieved fromhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/robot.htm

 Carey, Dachary. (2011).Howdo robots work?.Retrieved fromhttp://www.life123.com/technology/computer-hardware/robots/how-do-robots-work.shtml
http://www.societyofrobots.com/actuators_servos.shtml 

"Overview | Piping Plover - Atlantic Coast Population | Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Home. Web. 30 Sept. 2011. <http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pipingplover/overview.html>.

Log 4

Today, all of the members of the VEX robotics team had a meeting on how to produce the alternate solutions.  This cleared much trouble and confusion that existed in this process.

Log 3

I have missed a lot of school in the past two weeks because I broke my leg before class on 9/26.  I have finally begun to grab a hold of my work and to get working on the testing procedures and alternate solutions.  Both of which, I have missed.

Log Number Two

Today class was conducted in the media center because someone was working on the computers in the CAD lab.  In this class, I added a few more graphics to previously existing blog posts. Also, CMcD checked my blog for errors, and I corrected some in class and the rest over the weekend.

9/23/11