Robotics - Post-Meet Adjustments

Using what we learned from our experience at the first meet, we started to refine our robot for the next meet, which is in just two weeks. We wrote some agenda items on the whiteboard so that we have some goals to work towards.

First, we switched the gearing so that the wheels go immensely faster than they did before. The difference is amazing, and we can do a sort-of drift effect. With the amplified speed, we discovered another hardware problem: the right wheel wasn't moving all the time. After tightening its axle hub, everything was good.

To test the driving, we had to take our main battery off the charger and re-flash the Samantha module. The former part of that posed a problem: the battery connector is immensely difficult to disconnect. When we did that, it shorted and blew the fuse. Once we replaced that, the Samantha was easily flashed and everything was good.

We also rearranged the NXT and Samantha mounts to be more easily accessible and to make room for the eventual ball hopper.

While they did all this tinkering, I made a shopping list for things we need. It includes:

• USB A-B cable
• Allen wrenches
• Tetrix Flat Max metal pieces
• Replacement fuses