Team 1370 Blue Charge

Middletown Robotics, Team 1370

The Robot

Table of Contents

  1. Specifications
  2. Kit of Parts
  3. Our History
    1. 2004
    2. 2005
    3. 2006
    4. 2007

The primary component of any FIRST Robotics team is, of course, a robot. Pressed along the short six-week period of build season, we design, construct, program, and test a new robot each year that we hope will prove successful in heated competition.

Specifications

Each year, FIRST sets forth a set of rules and regulations regarding the construction of robots. These help to enforce friendly and fair competition, along with safety. Some of the more noteworthy rules include: no use of exotic materials that are not easily obtainable by other teams (like titanium framing), no use of duct-tape, and use of only the fully-sealed rechargable batteries included in the Kit of Parts to power the robot.

The Kit of Parts

The Kit of Parts

In order to start each team in the right direction, FIRST includes a Kit of Parts (KOP) in the costs of the first competition that each team attends (each year). The Kit is sent to the respective teams build locations and includes several crates full of supplies — a varied set that provides the foundation for further expansion. The Kit includes several crucial and expensive items, such as the Robot Controller (RC) and Operator Interface (OI) that communicate and control the robot according to user input, speed controllers that throttle the power set to motors, the robot camera, and the robot batteries.

Our History

The Cavalator (2004 Robot)

2004

As our team grows, so have our robots. Back in 2004, when we were rookies, our robot was nothing more than an aluminum frame, wheels, and a heavy-duty roller. It may not have been the prettiest or most complex, but it sure was efficient. We managed to hold our own, ranking within the top 10 at both regionals we attended.

2005 Robot

2005

In 2005, we thought we had really outdone ourselves. Not only did we make extensive use of pneumatics to power a scissor-like gripper, but we were so bold as to include custom machining of our team number and the bright addition of street-glow lamps to the robot's main mast. We added on a two-wheel drive system for zero turn-radius steering, beefed up the weight with steel blocks, and made sure to include limit switches to prevent the massive arm from destroying itself (and us)!

2006 Robot

2006

When 2006 came around, our design made a jump forward in complexity. With a wheelchair wheel forming the basis of a ball launcher, we put together a series of conveyors that pulled balls into a bin and then flung them towards the highest of three goals. We even included a backdoor in case we wanted to dump balls into the lower-scoring goals.

However, this complexity caught up with us in the end. Despite our ambition and noble intent, the launcher proved a problem at best, failing to align properly with the goal despite an active vision system utilizing the provided FRC camera. The backdoor encountered difficulties as well, failing to open or close as efficiently as required. Instead of our primary and secondary options, we found that defense was our strength. The heavy robot (needing extensive weight reduction to meet inspection) was a potent and reliable defensive machine, pushing around opponents with ease while allowing our allies to score.

2007

This year, the robot took on a different form from its predecessors. With a welded aluminum chassis, four independent CIM Motor-driven wheels, an arm, and a platform for raising robots, we were headed for success. Time, however, caught up with us. As the the end of build season rolled around, we had a non-functioning arm and an incomplete lift. At competition, we managed to complete both, but not without difficulty. Indeed, upon the first testing of the platform with another robot, it collapsed under the weight. Not to be weighed down by this, we repaired the lift and managed to raise up one of our team members, but we never got the chance to use it on the field. The head referee declared our lift against the rules because it detached from the robot to some degree, though this was disputable. With no lift, and an arm that was too unwieldy for practical use, we were left to play defense for the rest of the competition.

Uniquely designed, our robot was the working machine that never got a chance to prove its worth. It serves as a reminder to keep on schedule and prepare for the worst.