RobotConfigurationAnalysis

Things We Want

  • adjustable, telescoping, removable camera mount
  • camera toward front or back?
  • perhaps a 6-wheel design (3 on each side), center wheel is lower, rocks forward and back on center wheels to front or back
  • omniwheels instead of caster?
  • narrow
  • stop button -- pound from the top and in back of front
  • rotate in place -- easy to model in player stage.

Andrew Bacha's masters thesis on the Johnny-5 robot, Virginia Tech, May 12, 2005

Analysis of 2007 Robots

  • Bluefield State College: thick casters, built on wheelchair base, camera up high for good view of track,
  • Bob Jones University: too block-like
  • CSU Northridge: two rear-wheels, fairly large, two front casters, too open (needs weather-proofing)
  • Cedarville University: looks like shopping cart. large bicycle wheels in back, two small casters in the front, open frame, camera is up really high, payload is low
  • DeVry IT: very low to the ground, looks like 4 drive wheels, belt drive running at least 1 wheel on each side
  • Ecole de Technologie: 2 smallish back wheels plus 1 front caster, well-weatherized
  • Georgia Tech Candi: basic, two drive wheels in front, looks like big round skid plate in back
  • Hosei Univ: wheelchair based, high style base, 2 smallish drive wheels in back, 2 omni wheels in front, COG appears to be over back axle.
  • Lawrence Tech Armadillo: jointed design with 2 wheels on front and back
  • Lawrence Tech H2Bot II: 2 drive wheels & rear caster
  • RIT Overlord: complex tank tread design, narrow
  • Stony Brook TNA: low to the ground, rack and pinion steering in front?, 4 smallish wheels
  • City College NY, caster in rear, 2 medium wheels in center, simple
  • College of NJ AMBER: four smallish wheels, rack and pinion? jointed? low to the ground
  • Trinity College Q: 2 medium wheels in front, 1 caster in back, 80/20 frame
  • UCF Gamblore: lots of aluminum protection
  • U of Cincinatti: 2 Segway wheels in front, 2 casters in back, lots of 80/20, looks bulky
  • VaTech Johnny 5: 2 drive wheels in back, 1 caster in front, caster is fairly close to the rear axle.
  • VaTech Polaris: jointed robot