General electronics and or robots

[Green_Elite_Cab]

In Highschool, I used an Actobatics kit to make an RC robot to collect Tennis balls. It was one of the best there, and I made it right to the end. I only lost the tournament because I hit the wrong button and didn't deposit the tennis balls correctly. (Operator error... D'oh!)

I can't find any pictures of it, though I know I have them somewhere.

I did find my Mag-lev though... That was fun! The idea is that we needed the fastest Mag Lev, and it had to carry three heavy washers and an Lego man without "loosing the cargo" when it hit the end. Like my other robot, I made it to the Very end, but mine was just slightly slower. We attributed it to mount my motor and propeller to low.

Basically, the Mag-lev track was two metal Angle pieces, with magnets lined on the bottom. The angles not only guided the Mag-lev, but powered it, exactly like a DC powered Model train. One of the challenges was to collect power. You had to come up with a device to do so, you couldn't just let the wires drag.

I simply borrowed the metal pantographs off my Bachmann Metroliners and bolted them to the side! It was VERY effective.

I used paper to make a "latch" to hold the washers in, and the "passenger" compartment was built up so that the lego couldn't move.

I miss that class!