Technologies Used: C++, Autodesk Inventor, GitHub, VEX V5 Control System
Project and Experience Summary:
This team project was to build a robot that can compete in the VEX Robotics Competition Game Tower Takeover. I founded this team in 2019, and this was the first season we played in. Our team, Lunar Wolves Robotics #835T, competed in the Washington State division. Every member of our team was new to robotics, so in addition to swiftly building this robot, there was a lot of learning involved, and a lot of iterations to go through.
Iteration #1:
Our first iteration was a simple robot that could pick up around 5 cubes and stack them during a match. This robot didn't have any autonomous functionality as we got used to programming this control system. Using C++, we had basic drive functionality, intaking cube functionality, and stacking the tray functionality.
Iteration #2:
Our second iteration was a slightly more advanced version of our first version. We extended our tray to pick up to 7 cubes, changed the design of our stacker, increased torque in our arms so we could score cubes into the tower, and added a basic autonomous mode. In our autonomous mode, we were able to intake 5 cubes, but not stack them. When we competed with this robot, we finished as Quarterfinalists.
Iteration #3:
Our third iteration provided the most monumental changes to our robot. For the first time, we learned and utilized CAD software to model our design before we made major implementation changes. We changed our stacking mechanism to be more reliable and added another tray so we could stack up to 9 cubes. We also added autonomous macros to our driver control, so our robot could stack cubes with a simple push of a button. Since we could handle many more cubes, we also added an anti-tipping system. It was under this design that we earned the judge's award at a tournament.
Iteration #4:
This was our final iteration which we took to our state championships. We changed our drive base to a system that allowed for a greater range of motion. We also added an autonomous which could stack our cubes rather than simply picking them up. We also learned and experimented with sensors provided by the V5 control systems to enhance our autonomous functionality. We qualified for the playoff rounds at this championship.
After a great season full of learning, we prepared to compete for the 2020-2021 season. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we weren't able to compete. However, that didn't stop us from learning more about robotics. As captain, I spent the early days of the pandemic and the summer creating training initiatives for my team for CAD and programming the V5 control system. We made mock robots, mock autonomous programs, and continued to learn as much as we could under restrictive conditions.