Harradonsindividualprogress

Timeline

Week of 1/4/08

Initial brainstorming
Scoop and container concept designed

Week of 1/11/08

Wall following code with bumpers completed
Collaborated on egg container
Prototype scoop built, motor not strong enough to lift scoop

Week of 1/18/08

Container completed
Finishing egg sorting code
Lifting mechanism designed
Lifting mechanism built
Moved light sensor so it points downward

Results

Overall I consider team RoboScrambler successful. Both Seamus and I put many hours into the project, starting immediately after vacation in December. Our late work-nights were a common sight in Room 302. We are almost on a first name basis with the nearby Wendy's. The project we undertook was more then our 60+ combined hours of work could handle, however. Having access to more advanced equipment and hardware would have drastically improved the sturdiness and effectiveness of our final product, yet these are factors that should have been accounted for ahead of time. Access to more powerful servos for our scoop and metal fabrication equipment would have without doubt made our robot significantly more successful. Given the supplies we had access to I would have made a few modifications if I had foresaw the final product we had created. I would have used a number of switches on the scoop and other extensions on the robot to prevent accidental destruction of said extensions because the bumpers were not being set off. I would also have more precisely constructed the scoop to allow it to lie level on the playing field and against the wall. This again reflects a lack of proper materials, however.

Lessons Learned

• Predict limits of available materials
• Construct physical devices before coding