Abstract
Grabbers are a critical component in winning Botball tournaments, alongside the software driving the bots. This paper introduces simple yet expandable grabber designs and accompanying software solutions using the current Botball kit. We aimed to make these resources beginner-friendly to help new teams eliminate early development challenges and speed up the process.
Introduction
I collaborated closely with David Fischer, BSc., as a special cooperation partner on this project. The Botball kit includes various parts like KIPR Wallaby controllers, LEGO Technic bricks, and sensors and servos. The robots built using these parts are required to perform tasks on the game table, such as collecting and transporting objects. This paper presents three basic grabber designs, explains troubleshooting methods using the Wallaby’s gyro sensor, and introduces remote-compile, a tool for efficiently compiling and running programs on the Wallaby.
Grabber Innovation and Examples
This section presents three grabber designs that are simple to build and effective for handling common objects like cubes and the Botguy on the game table. Each grabber is optimized for specific tasks and can be easily replicated using the standard Botball kit.
Gravity Grabber
A servo-less design relying on gravity to grab objects. The grabber’s simplicity makes it ideal for beginners, despite its limitations in precision.
Horizontal Grabber
A classic design that offers a strong grip on the Botguy by securing it from the side.
Vertical Grabber
This grabber is built to push and drag objects like cubes and poms, resembling an excavator claw in function.
Remote-Compile
We developed remote-compile, a tool designed to streamline the programming process for the Wallaby. This solution allows for faster compilation, supports multiple programming languages, and can be integrated into development environments like Atom.
Conclusion
This paper serves as a guide for new Botball teams to get a head start in designing functional grabbers and programming the Wallaby. The resources and methods outlined here are aimed at improving the development process for future competitions.
Special Cooperation Partner
- David Fischer, BSc., website: konst.fish
Publication Link
You can read the full publication on the Robo4You website here.