Portfolio Guide Reflection
1. State the assignment (problem/project) in your own words.
During this design challenge, we were to build a robot that can climb a rope. This rope would be hanging from the ceiling, so to be able to climb it, our robot must be light weight.
2. What are your input factors? (What do you need to know or do before you can begin?) Include the research you did.
Before starting this assignment, we would have to know how thick the rope is. We would also have to know the weight of the robot to make sure that it would be light enough to pull itself up the rope. To do this, we decided to use the NXT kit rather than the tetrix kit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi7GesmY16w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv_xlV0Df7Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEz4lvNsBRg
3. Describe the process in detail. Explain the steps you followed in order to complete the project.
To start this project, we began by building the robot. We had already decided to use the NXT kit and chose to use one motor, to keep it as light as possible. We used gears connected the wheels to create the right amount of space between the motor and wheels, still being tight enough around the rope. After doing this, we created a simple program that told the robot's motor to go foward (up the rope) for 4 minutes, stop, then come back down the rope for 4 minutes. We noticed that the motor was able to pull the NXT programmer up the rope without it being on any stable structure, so we left it how it was. In the end, we were successful during this design challenge.
4. Describe the final output / product in detail: (what are we looking at?)
At the end of this design challenge, we were successful. Our robot was able to climb the rope and come back down without falling or getting stuck.
5. Describe feedback you received during the project (suggestions, comments, etc). From peers, instructor ect.. How did you use this feedback to correct issues with your project?
During this design challenge, we recieved help and feedback from our peers. People who had already completed this design challenge suggested the idea about using the gears and wheels to create the space for the rope. Before hearing this, me and my team mate were confused about where to begin.
6. What did you learn during the assignment such as tools, skills, design concepts, software, hardware, etc?
During this assignment, I learned more about how to use gears. I have used gears in the past but I have always found them confusing to put together in a way that works. Since gears are not used often in design challenges, I still have some trouble each time. With this design challenge using gears, I have become better at knowing where to place them and how to connect them in a stable way.
7. If you were to do the project again, what would you do differently and why? Provide reasons and examples.
If I were to do this project again, I would want to connect the NXT programmer in a more stable way. In our current design, the NXT programmer was just hanging from the motor. In the long run this style could run into problems, although for what we needed to accomplish it was able to work.
During this design challenge, we were to build a robot that can climb a rope. This rope would be hanging from the ceiling, so to be able to climb it, our robot must be light weight.
2. What are your input factors? (What do you need to know or do before you can begin?) Include the research you did.
Before starting this assignment, we would have to know how thick the rope is. We would also have to know the weight of the robot to make sure that it would be light enough to pull itself up the rope. To do this, we decided to use the NXT kit rather than the tetrix kit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi7GesmY16w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv_xlV0Df7Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEz4lvNsBRg
3. Describe the process in detail. Explain the steps you followed in order to complete the project.
To start this project, we began by building the robot. We had already decided to use the NXT kit and chose to use one motor, to keep it as light as possible. We used gears connected the wheels to create the right amount of space between the motor and wheels, still being tight enough around the rope. After doing this, we created a simple program that told the robot's motor to go foward (up the rope) for 4 minutes, stop, then come back down the rope for 4 minutes. We noticed that the motor was able to pull the NXT programmer up the rope without it being on any stable structure, so we left it how it was. In the end, we were successful during this design challenge.
4. Describe the final output / product in detail: (what are we looking at?)
At the end of this design challenge, we were successful. Our robot was able to climb the rope and come back down without falling or getting stuck.
5. Describe feedback you received during the project (suggestions, comments, etc). From peers, instructor ect.. How did you use this feedback to correct issues with your project?
During this design challenge, we recieved help and feedback from our peers. People who had already completed this design challenge suggested the idea about using the gears and wheels to create the space for the rope. Before hearing this, me and my team mate were confused about where to begin.
6. What did you learn during the assignment such as tools, skills, design concepts, software, hardware, etc?
During this assignment, I learned more about how to use gears. I have used gears in the past but I have always found them confusing to put together in a way that works. Since gears are not used often in design challenges, I still have some trouble each time. With this design challenge using gears, I have become better at knowing where to place them and how to connect them in a stable way.
7. If you were to do the project again, what would you do differently and why? Provide reasons and examples.
If I were to do this project again, I would want to connect the NXT programmer in a more stable way. In our current design, the NXT programmer was just hanging from the motor. In the long run this style could run into problems, although for what we needed to accomplish it was able to work.
Our Robot(:
This is the robot we built for this design challenge. We used the NXT kit to make the robot as light as possible so it would be able to climb the rope. We used one motor attached to four small wheels at the right distance apart to be tight enough around the rope.
Program
We used a simple program for this challenge. First, we told our motor to go for an amount of time that we set as 4 minutes. Then our robot would stop and come down for 4 minutes. Then the robot would stop again, when the program was completed.