Over the course of the two months the team worked on the robot, various tests were performed. Some of these tests were performed with Crayola Robots to experiment with different navigation techniques. Other tests were to see if the team’s robot was able to complete the various tasks on the course, leading up to the two final tests. Descriptions of each test can be found below.
Explorations:
For the first exploration, the team used Crayola Bots to determine how to read light values. The team did this by using four different filters over the CdS cell to see how different the values of the lights were. For the teams robot, they wanted the filter which returned the most different light values so that they could get the most accurate reading. In this exploration, the team also experimented with the different values the Servo motor could be placed. The final thing the team explored was how the robot would make turns.
For the second exploration, the team experimented with shaft encoding and optosensors. In this exploration, the team created a code that counted the number of revolutions the wheel made per inch. The team implemented this in code which allowed for the team to calculate how far the Crayola Bot was to drive along the course. A second code was then created with the optosensors. The optosensors returned a value based off of what color it was above and compared it to a threshold value. This value allowed for the robot to determine if it was on the left, right, or center of the a line. After the exploration, the team concluded they would not be using optosensors as they were not very accurate in the exploration, they were difficult to use, and there were not many lines on the course. However, the team would be using shaft encoding as the main mechanism for navigating the course.
The final exploration tested the RPS system. RPS works by using a QR code to determine where the robot is setup on the course. The code the team created plotted all the data points of the course so that with the RPS the robot would know its location on the course. The Crayola Bot would pulse when at points where in the code it was told to stop and check its values. Though RPS is the most accurate navigation method, it is delicate which is why the team chose to not use it for the main navigation. If the course is knocked even slightly, the RPS values change. Though it is delicate, the team still decided to use it for various points throughout the course, but never for the whole navigation method.
Performance Tests:
In the first Performance Test, the robot was required to start with the light, go up the ramp, push the lever downward, then travel back down the ramp. Due to the teams inability to successfully build and code the robot in only one week, they failed this Performance Test. After this Performance Test, the team wanted to make improvements such as make the build more simple and begin coding and testing farther in advance. The team scored a 0/20 on this Performance Test.
In the second Performance Test, the robot was required to start with the light, read the light for DDR, press the correct color of the button for five seconds, and for extra credit touch the foosballs. For this Performance Test, the Proteus was not fully charged which caused for the motors to run at different speeds, not allowing the robot to drive straight. The wheels of the robot also repeatedly fell off, causing the robot to never make it to the DDR area. Improvements to be made were to fix the wheels and charge the Proteus. The team scored a 0/20 on this Performance Test.
In the third Performance Test, the robot was required to start with the light, make its way to the top level, and drop the coin in the slot. For this Performance Test, the robot struggled with getting up the ramp straight. However, it was able to get up the ramp straight and drop the coin on the top level, though it missed the slot. Improvements that needed to be made were figuring out the issue with the ramp and implementing RPS to make sure the robot is lined up with all the tasks. The team scored a 10/20 for this Performance Test.
In the final Performance Test, the robot was required to start with the light, go up the ramp and move the foosballs, and hit the final red button. For extra credit the robot could hit any DDR button. Due to the robot struggling to get up the ramp, the team only coded for it to hit the final red button. The improvements that needed to be made were to have the robot consistently make it up the ramp. The team scored a 5/20 for this Performance Test.
Competitions:
For the Individual Competition, the robot needed to complete all tasks in under two minutes. Due to the inconsistency with the ramp, the team focused on perfecting the bottom half of the course. The robot hit the correct button and dropped the coin in the bucket but was unable to hit the final red button. For the final competition, the team wanted to focus on the upper level of the course and then connect the two codes. The team finished with a score of 38/75 for the Individual Competition.
For the Final Competition, the robot needed to complete all tasks in under two minutes. Though the team strived to have the robot complete all tasks, the only tasks it was able to successfully complete was the bottom level tasks because the robot got stuck on the coin slot box on the way up the ramp. The team finished with the same score of 38/75 for the Final Competition.