Robot Orca

Our FIRST Robotics team is going to be in the town parade again.  It is a nice way to get "seen" and as our build HQ is right down town it is not too difficult logistically.

Last year we ran the competition robot and had it chase "ChairBot" around.  It was well received.  But this year two differences.

We are not running the competition machine.  Asphalt is rather hard on wheels and bearings.  So it will ride on a trailer.  And we are going to actually fit in with the theme of the parade which this year is "Under the Sea".

So we built a robot killer whale.

The basic frame.  The crank device near the back makes the whale's tail flip up and down.  The worrying red gas can holds 2.5 gallons of water.  The hose runs from the tank, which contains a small but powerful pump, so the Orca can spray water about ten feet up and ten feet backwards.

The electronics and mechanical work were pretty straightforward, this is a build crew of veterans.  Putting the covering over the wire frame required an artistic touch....well, they did a pretty good job.  The wire is garden fencing.  The fabric is thin sheets of foam usually used to protect machinery during shipping.  We also incorporated pipe from an earlier climbing frame and an early version control board built by my middle school robotics group with help from my high school team.

You can't see the tail well, it is clear plastic and will be painted along with the rest of the Orca.  But it looks reasonably whale like.

Here is Orcabot lined up for the parade.  Of course at the last minute various things decided to be difficult...

And here is one of the team members.  Old halloween costume parts just can't be passed up, even in 80 plus degree heat.

It would be unrealistic to imagine that a student project tossed together in a few hours would be perfect.  And Orca was not.  The tail flipper did not cooperate.  And the sizable tank of water was heavier than we figured based on half full trial runs.  With a brisk turn or two it came loose.  Good news....it did not tip over and drench the electronics.  Bad news...it disconnected the water spout.  But good news part two...it did not do so until after we passed the judges stand.

Looks like a fun campaign for the year ahead.  Lots of things that will work out.  Mostly.

Here's a short video of Orca.  It appears to be rotated 90 degrees.  Sorry, another minor glitch on a morning full of them.  Still pretty cool...