Vex Robots -- 2017 -- Team 3

This week we have accomplished the task of completing our VEX robot. My team and I have thought about and planned our ideas on the "bucket" to pick up our soccer ball. Unfortunately we couldn't use the metal compartment because it was too heavy for the arms lifting it up. Therefore me and my group decided on two ideas. We could have a box like "bucket" attached to the arms made out of cardboard, or we could get a cylindrical cardboard and cut it in half so it would be a curved "bucket". We also thought about having both the box like "bucket" and the curved "bucket" attached together using hot glue. As of right now we are do a test trial on how each different type of "bucket" will work on scooping the ball used. The one that is better at scooping the ball would be used for our finished product.

This week our group a lot on the main idea of getting the ball off the ground using a scoop like mechanism. So far we have two main ideas on the scooping feature. One of our simpler ideas only uses two additional motors attached to the ¨arm" which attaches to the ¨bucket¨. The motors are used to move the ¨arms" attached to the ¨bucket¨ off the ground so the opposing robots would not be able to steal our ball. As of right now we are deciding on whether to attach an enclosing structure to the bucket so it could trap the ball. Our second idea consists of using four motors. The extra two motors would add the previous idea that we had. The extra two motors would be used to control the ¨clamp" or the structure that provide a closing for the bucket to carry the ball. This idea requires the ball to be safely secure in the  ¨bucket" without falling out.

Vex Robot Update: 5/3/17 With preparing for our in class AP test, the Taco Truck has had little work done. Our group has spent our time researching and thinking of ways to complete the challenge. We have decided to create an arm that will move up and down using a motor. On the end of this arm we will attach a platform to slide beneath the ball, lifting the ball up to the necessary height of the goals. In order to keep the ball on the platform, teeth attached to the top of the plat form, will clamp down powered by a rotating motor. The greatest challenge in this idea is placing the motor right to where the teeth will be able to close the ball in, as well as open up to release the ball. Within the next two days our group plans on having a working arm that moves up and down. Here is a picture of a robot we got our ideas from......