Day 7: Prototyping Continues

We made progress on some of our prototypes today.

4-Bar Lift

We added a tilt to the lift to aid in the lifting and releasing of the totes.  Hopefully, this will speed up the stacking process a bit.  We also 3D-printed a hinge that will help with stacking.  This hinge presses on the bottom of the totes while they are lifted, supporting them, but moves out of the way when the lift moves vertically against a stack.  We hope to record a video soon that will clarify the design and use of this part.  We're also developing the pneumatic system needed to control the lift.  However, we still have quite a bit of work ahead of us in order to improve things like tote alignment and speed.

Measuring Tape Hook

This prototype can extend and retract a measuring tape with the intention of pulling a tote with the hook on the end of the measuring tape.

Tote Puller

We are working on building a pivoting hook that can grab the lip on the top of the tote and pull it. In this design, the hook falls onto the tote when the bottom of it presses against the tote upon robot collision with the tote.  The hook disengages when the robot backs away slowly from the tote. We still have a ways to go on building this one, but hopefully it will be useful during gameplay.

- Spectrum

"How does a project get to be a year late? … One day at a time."
- Fred Brooks