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This is the "Minutes" section where members can be informed on what happens on the meetings that the Robot Team had. To go to the recent news, click here.
IMPORTANT DUE DATES:
Robot shipped, over, out (22 February)
Animation Submission (15 March)
PRELIMENARY NEWS
>From "Engineering/Physics 101" to mini-robot designs to wacky and crazy names, the HHS/NASA HQ Robot Team 1999-2000 did it all. You can read about here.
WEEK ONE: Brainstorming
Sunday, 9 January 2000:
Following hundreds of other teams across the country, we celebrate the kick-off for the 2000 FIRST Robotics Team. The team figured out the rules and were united in celebration as the seven week trial begins.
Monday, 10 January 2000:
In the evening, the team reviewed the rules of the game by having people "play" the game. Teams of humans and human-robots tried different strategies to score the most points (or deduct the number of points on the other team). This was to get an idea on what the robot should be able to do and what we would like it to do (don't worry, making it work is certainly a top priority! :) ).
Additional info: StuBot notes, design criteria
Tuesday, 11 January 2000:
That day was a brainstorming session on the general design of the robot and what kind of capabilities it should have. This involved breaking up into groups. We also had an evaluation criteria drawn up by Joe Parrish, one of the engineers helping out the team.
Additional info: evaluation criteria
Thursday, 13 January 2000:
The Aluminum Weasels broke up into groups and worked on individual group designs for the robot to be evaluated by the team using the evaluation criteria. Along with designing, we also designed models for the presentation.
Saturday, 15 January 2000:
With the wind chill at minus 22 (or so), the members that showed up voted on the design based on the evaluation criteria we drew up. We evaluated eight designs and we were going to hear a ninth one. By the time we got to the ninth one, it was time for the parent's meeting or an opportunity for the parents to learn what we vaguely know.
Additional info: Peter Jaffe's notes
WEEK TWO: Design
Monday, 17 January 2000:
It may have been Martin Luther King Day but we still had to show up for another Robotics meeting! :) We completed the business on Saturday by voting on the designs that we made during the past week. By an near unanimous decision, we chose the "Dolly" design (jokingly renamed the "Dolly Lama"). Then we divided up into the following subgroups: Control System, Mobility, Lift, Basket/Scoop, Push-Over System and Integration.
Additional info: Subteam roster
Tuesday, 18 January 2000:
While the basketball teams were playing in the gym, the members of the team went into Mr. Johnson's (another physics teacher) room to take the rules test. After outsmarting the gates and walking through the cold weather, we returned to our shop and worked on building our various systems and even doing some integration within the groups to make sure part A fits with part B and part C doesn't #$%! it up.
Team reports (18.1.2000)
Control System: hooked up wires, figured out the basics of a control system and figured out the program contents
Mobility: began planning, started prelimenary designs
Lift System: designing and doing the math (making sure the lift system actually lifts)
Push-Over System: Building prototype and worked design
Thursday, 20 January 2000:
This meeting was cancelled due to Fairfax County Public Schools closing schools due to inclement weather. So, there was an EMERGENCY Robot Team meeting held at Jacob's house. The teams that were present did the following:
Team reports (20.1.2000)
Mobility: designing (dimensions are the same) and collaborating with the Lift System group
Lift System: still designing and still doing the math (still making sure the lift system actually lifts)
Saturday, 22 January 2000:
This meeting was originally going to start at noon (due to the SAT's). However, due to Thursday's meeting being cancelled, the shop was open from 9 am to 4 pm for those that could make it. Here are the following reports (all for making the final design on Monday)
Team reports (22.1.2000)
Control System: figured out control system schematics for the different electronic systems, learned as much as we could about the different aspects of a control system and figured out basic design for the general system
Mobility: finalized our designs (combination of throwing out ideas and putting in new ones)
Lift System: built models, drew up designs and written a parts list
Push-Over System: Building prototype and worked design
Animation: learned stuff
Field Construction: constructing the field... pain in the ass
WEEK THREE: Building, Part I
Monday, 24 January 2000:
Theoretically, there was supposed to be the beginning of the construction of our final designs. However, the various subteams have been delayed and can not establish a finalized plan. However, there was a critical design review taken on the various subgroups. In other news, the field construction crew finished building the ramp and will get it carpeted. "Meet more often" is now the credo for the Robot Team, if we can get it done by our due date of the 22 February.
Additional info: Critical Design Review
Tuesday, 25 January 2000:
In case you haven't noticed, the meeting was not held in Herndon High School's shop because of the first snow storm in a bazillion years decides to hit Northern Virginia. We tried to meet at Jacob's house, however the snow got to be more of a hassle and we didn't have one at all.
Wednesday, 26 January 2000:
There was an unofficial meeting for those interested in learning how to do the welding.
Thursday, 27 January 2000:
We finally had a meeting at the shop. Before hurrying to finish designs and some building, we were reminded that we should start meeting on time and be very focus on the work. Other than that, this is what we did:
Team reports (27.1.2000)
Control System: Testing design (no magic smoke)
Mobility: Finalizing designs
Lift System: Building prototype
Basket/Scoop: Parts ordered, CG almost calculated, weight 13-15 lbs., adjuctator for door will be the scissors lift, steel sheet for bottom and drawbridge, dimensions 40*33*12 inches
Push-Over System: Finishing prototypes
Animation: Still working on animation software and design
Field Construction: Still a pain in the ass to build (but at least the ramp is carpeted)
Friday, 28 January 2000:
We are doing better about the time situation, however we can always do better. In general, teams are still working away with design, building prototypes and figuring what exactl are we doing. The pressure is on, but we should make it for February 22. This is what we did:
Team reports (28.1.2000)
Control System: Still testing and figuring out the design
Mobility: calculated the CG and we will begin building as soon as the materials still haven't arrived yet
Lift System: figuring out what is needed to lift it (which is equal to 1 S.L. or equal to the tangent of PI over 2)
Basket/Scoop: Not much since yesterday except that the dimensions have been changed to 44 inches long
Push-Over System: Select push-over mechanism
Animation: Still working on animation software and design
Field Construction: One trough is completed... and it's still a pain in the ass to build
Saturday, 29 January 2000:
Nothing like coffee, Pop-Tarts, donuts and soda to get us up and "atam." For the most part, we have been making lots of progress. Here are the sub-team reports for the day:
Team reports (29.1.2000):
Control System: waiting for other subsystems to be finished, so we can start building
Mobility: still waiting for the materials to arrive
Lift System: still figuring out how to lift it
Basket/Scoop: still figuring out design
Animation: designing field and beginning to design robot
WEEK FOUR: Building, Part II
Sunday, 30 January 2000:
The original plan was to meet in the building for several hours on designing and building and head home to watch the Super Bowl (if you are into that sort of thing). However, that idea flopped and those that were there (don't worry, it wasn't a significant number) flocked over to Jacob's house. The only team that reported success was the final design of the basket/scoop design. For those that weren't there, you didn't miss much.
Tuesday, 1 February 2000:
Now we meet after having our three-day weekend and going through another cancellation of the meeting. The pressure is now on since we are in the fourth week and we are barely starting our third week. Keep on working!
Team reports (1.2.2000):
Control System: Our objectives were to attach the quick connect switch to the batteries and test the various motors to identify which were the best connection points on the robot controller. We completed our objectives and exceeded them to a slight degree. To begin with, the quick connect switch was already soldered and connection to the battery took only 10 minutes. We then connected the fuse box to the positive end and the fuse panel to the negatice end. We then tested the drill motors, car seat motors and rotating light simultaneously. As we were testing the fisher price motor, the wires that attached it to the speed controller shut down. We found that the fan had somehow shorted out, so we replaced it with one from last year. This concludes the buld of the meeting. Plans for next time: Manufacture male pinout switches, configure joystick, begin programming limit switches (if Stephen Snyder is here).
Pushover System: Today we reviewed our design once more. We then ordered the parts we needed from Small Parts and started sketching on the metals to be cut.
Mobility: (text goes here)
Lift System: (text goes here)
Basket: (text goes here)
Scoop: Today we got the parts list and we got the drawing of the scoop. We also started drawing the scoop on a piece of polycarbonate so we can cut it out next meeting. The poly carbonate is 1/4 in. thick. We are using 1 1/2 in. diameter PVC pipes for the rollers with timing belts used to drive them. We are using the fisher price motor to drive the rollers.
Animation: (text goes here)
Thursday, 3 February 2000:
Now, the building begins and the pressure is truly on when you have nineteen days left until shipping date. There will be more meetings and, hopefully, the weather will treat us right. Here is what we did:
Team reports (3.2.2000):
Control System: (text goes here)
Pushover System: This time we detailed and reviewed the design briefly. We continued sketching on the metals. Also, the metal parts that will be welded were cut.
Mobility: The mobility base group has completed cutting all the metal tubing and will mill and weld the layers together tomorrw. In parallel, it will cut the strap and angles for the interlayer connections. We ran an inventory and have almost all our SPI parts except one optional component, and we have pretty much everything else. Our team is working well together, spliting up the work without too much stress within the team. Joe and I [Jaffe] ran through several options for mounting the drill motors. We've yet to decide completely, but have the fundemental concepts.
Chairman's Award: Jaffe got a couple more pages done, including a very nice looking introductory page. I [Nikki] came in to do work for the last 40 minutes or so of our meeting, as I had previous engagements that were quite unavoidable. Jacob wrote up the brainstorming story, and I'm quite pleased with it as it is of a good length and it's actually coherent. What a concept! I came back in the evening to make sure our zip drive arrived safely (which it did), and to get whatever photos the photography team has left. NOTE TO PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM: DO NOT REMOVE THE PHOTO CD FROM THE PHOTO ENVELOPE.
Friday, 4 February 2000:
This was an extra, unscheduled meeting meant to give subteams another chance to jump back into track. Those that did take advantage of it... bravo! Keep on working, we are going to make it (whether it is in one piece, that has yet to be decided).
Team reports (4.2.2000):
Control System: started to weld the frame
Mobility: (text goes here)
Lift System: (text goes here)
Basket/Scoop: (text goes here)
Animation: (text goes here)
Saturday, 5 February 2000:
Wrestling... SAGA... Drama and then, there is the Robot Team. We are still working and laboring on VERMIN using the manpower that we have. We still have a long way to go, but again, if we endure and do what needs to be done, we can test it and debug it at home instead of on the field ("success-based program" is certainly not an option).
Team reports (5.2.2000):
Control System:
Mobility: finished welding, started to assemble the risers at different levels
Lift System: cut out all bars and the aluminum angles (started to do some welding)
Basket/Scoop:
Push-Over System: continue building
Animation: (text goes here)
WEEK FIVE: Integrate (Building, Part III)
Sunday, 6 February 2000
We have all been building and laboring away but realizing that we have a weight limit (130 lbs. or a mass of about 4.0625 slugs). So, we have trying to cut back on the heavy foods and the sweets (I mean the robot, I can't speak for the students nor for the engineers). The goal is have these systems completed and integrated by the end of THIS week.
Team reports (6.2.2000):
Control System:
Mobility: continued putting risers into place, finished gears for drive training
Lift System: continued with cutting and designing
Basket/Scoop: (text goes here)
Push-Over System:
Animation: (text goes here)
Monday, 7 February 2000
Most of us do what we do best... build and lose weight (both the robot and the people working on the robot). However, there were other things happening at the same time. Today was the discussion for the "flight crew," art and design as well as other team business. Today was also the final day for turning applications for being a coach.
Team reports (7.2.2000):
Control System: Today's meeting began with us disassembling our supposed "final board" and making and actual one. We coordinated with mobility base and lift to make an actual, unchangeable board. While the control box was being cut with drills and exacto knives, we discussed the need for a second set of fuses on the ground fuse panel, and decided against it. We then discussed the need for the large muffin fan and the location of the speed controllers and relay modules on final board. We then determined an effective location for the robot controller and will mount it next meeting.
Mobility: completed putting the risers in and put them into place
Lift System: finished cutting and designing
Basket/Scoop: attached sheetmetal
Push-Over System: cutting angles and drilling holes
Animation: (text goes here)
Tuesday, 8 February 2000
There was work to be done. However, there was also a group photo taken for the Animation. Other than that, we worked and tried to lose weight at the same time.
Team reports (8.2.2000):
Control System: Today's objectives were to mount the control parts on the final board and to cut aluminum angles to hold the battery. In the beginning of the meeting, we mounted all of the electronic parts to the two pieces of the final board and began wiring them. We cut the aluminum angles for the battery, and drilled holes in them to mount them down. Next, we completed preliminary modifications for the default program and configured the limit switches.
Mobility: put suspension system in place, started to put wheels and axles together
Lift System: started to weld
Basket/Scoop: drilled holes in sheetmetal
Push-Over System: smoothing out cam and finished cutting legs and crank
Animation: (text goes here)
Wednesday, 9 February 2000
Life has a strange way of surprising us... so I'm letting the reports speak for itself.
Team reports (9.2.2000):
Control System: finished battery support bar, bugged mobility base (as usual), cut main board so it will fit in the mobility base and worked on how to mount battery
Mobility: putting the axles in, completed the frame (test roll)
Lift System: finished welding and assembly
Basket/Scoop: made crossbraces for side and front of basket, started crossmembers to mount the scissor lift, started to drill lightening holes
Push-Over System: welded cam to motor, drilling holes and cutting angles
Animation: (text goes here)
Chairman's Award: Just as planned, CHAIRMAN'S AWARD IS DONE!!!!! BEFORE THE DUE DATE!!!! Thanks to the Chairman's team: Peter Jaffe, Carol French, Farrah Dang, Mike Chen, Tricia Amberly, and Jacob Selmer (Our Captain!) for taking out all that time to help finish this thing, and trying to keep me sane. Also, thanks to Mr. Tripp for not kicking us out of his room, Dave Lavery for our wonderful, wonderful computer and its programs, the guy working the last shift at Insty-Prints today for saving us a trip to New Hampshire, Carol French's Car and Debit Card, and Ms. Braaten, though we've neglected you...
C'mon guys! We're one-third finished with our whole FIRST Robotics project. Hey, if I can get something done before the due date, anyone can. :) One last thing--Sorry again, Dave. *evil grin* (We'll still continue to harrass Mr. Tripp every day after school, correct?)
Thursday, 10 February 2000
The Robot Team, while building a robot and figuring a "diet plan" for it... we soaked up some culture with the neighboring Fine Arts Night event. Hey, we said that we had a diet plan for the robot and we never said anything about the students or the engineers having one! :)
Team reports (10.2.2000):
Control System: drilling new holes into the modified board so that we could rewrite the logical schematics for the electronics. Later, we modified the limit switches section of the default program and finished that section of it. We also decided to use a tank drive system for robot control as it is easy to program and learn. We also cut wires that connected the fuse panels to the speed controllers and relay modules
Mobility: replacing the axles (bent during test-drops)
Lift System: fine tuning the system including attaching motors
Basket/Scoop: attaching the door and the hinges for that, finishing up the second crossmember
Push-Over System: cutting out pieces from main section for the motors
Animation: (text goes here)
Friday, 11 February 2000
(I have no $%#@ing idea what the hell went on... could you fill in the details, please? :) Thanks. -DJP. PS: Get rid of this when you're done for obvious reasons.)
Team reports (11.2.2000):
Control System: Sodered, talked with mobilty base about getting boards mounted and planning to mount stuff
Mobility:
Lift System:
Basket/Scoop:
Push-Over System:
Animation:
Saturday, 12 February 2000
The Robot Team marveled at the flurries and the nicely decorated rock outside the school with "CHAIRMAN'S IS DONE" written in red over black. The building coming along and we hope to integrate and test the robot all next week. (The time is near!)
Team reports (12.2.2000):
Control System:
Mobility:
Lift System:
Basket/Scoop: the basket team made the hooks, threaded them, tested them, and attatched the drawbridge
Push-Over System:
Animation:
WEEK SIX: Testing and Debugging
Sunday, 13 February 2000
(text goes here)
Team reports (13.2.2000):
Control System:
Mobility:
Lift System:
Basket/Scoop: the basket finished milling the holes in the bottom braces and made slots in the door; much of whats left to do has to wait until absolute final cg is calculated
Push-Over System:
Animation:
Monday, 14 February 2000
(text goes here)
Team reports (14.2.2000):
Control System:
Mobility:
Lift System:
Basket/Scoop:
Push-Over System:
Chairman's Award: I went home today, and had dinner with my family. Now I remember why I liked it so much! It tasted really good, and afterwards, I finished my homework. I'm going down to practice my music (!), and I hope to get to bed by 11:00. What a concept! [This is originally a joke and I'm putting this anyway to amuse anybody... after all, I get easily amused. -DJP]
Tuesday, 15 February 2000
(insert blurb)
Team reports (15.2.2000):
Control System: mounted to mobility base and tested, need to work out a few more programming bugs
Mobility: mounted motors temporarily and tested base. Need to drill half inch holes for axels and drill litening holes
Lift System: milled mounting bars, in process of building new elevating track(bars that lift the scissor lift)
Basket: made hooks for drawbridge
Scoop: mounted motor and tested. Need to cover motor to protect it and need to make system lighter
Push-Over System: need to mount to base and test it
Wednesday, 16 February 2000
(insert blurb)
Team reports (16.2.2000):
Control System:
Mobility:
Lift System:
Basket/Scoop:
Push-Over System:
Animation:
Page Maintained by: Derek J. Power, Todd Pierce and Carol French
Page Approved by: Dave Lavery
Last Updated: May 24, 2000
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