[Tyler]

FIRST Team Wins with Unusual Drive Train
     


Foster Schucker wrote to let us know what was up with FIRST team 1640
aka Team Sab-BOT-age: "The team won the Rockwell Control Award this
weekend at the FIRST competition at the US Naval Academy." An
unusual robot drive train was cited by the judges as contributing to
their win.
The robot (DEWBot V) possesses a novel dual-mode drive-train
which alternates between a 6-wheel drive tank and a unique 3 wheel drive
pivot mode.  This is achieved by adding a 7th Wheel at the back center
of the robot oriented at right angle to the 6 main drive wheels.  When
driving normally, the 7th Wheel is held above the playing surface and
does not affect driving.  When the need to brake or turn quickly arises,
however, the Driver can almost instantly drop and activate the 7th
Wheel, lifting the rear four traditional wheels off the playing surface.
 This drive-train provides exceptional agility with intuitive control.

Team 1640 is made up of members from Downington West and East High
Schools in Downington, Pennsylvania. The team members worked together
with mentors with a range of technology expertise. Read on for all the
details from Schucker's news release.
   

http://robots.net/article/2787.html