RoboRats

The Task

In this competition, the robot has to gather foam blocks that are either scattered throughout or hanging above the playing board. The robot has to be autonomous and within a certain weight and dimensions. Points are rewarded according to the foam blocks that are collected and where they are placed after collecting them.

How it works

My team's robot was designed to minimize weight and size so that it goes straight for the highest rewarding foam block, the "golden cheese".

The robot is positioned in the direction that the golden cheese is in and the corresponding code will be selected with a switch. The program starts after the photon sensor is triggered by a light from the playing board.

The robot proceeds to move straight in the direction and will either turn, if the "golden cheese" is placed on the side of the playing board, or go straight, if the "golden cheese" is placed down the center.

An IR sensor is used to detect the black and white sections of the board so that it turns when it needs to.

In the case that the the "golden cheese" is down the sensor, a strain gauge is there to detect the ramp that it will go up. If it is triggered, the robot will accelerate so that it will be able to get over the ramp. This is to make up for the balance issues that the build has.

Once the robot is at the desired location, the hand will close around the cheese and hold on to it until the round is over.