New Vexplorer Scorpion built from base kit only!

Mystbusters own Grant Ishihara challenged students to create a new robot desing based on the parts which came in the Vexplorer Kit which debuted last Christmas season. The winners of the contest have been covered by the magazine Robot. (Check out the article and video's of the winners at http://www.botmag.com/) Since this competiton was aimed at students we did not participate. My son and I did design, a Vex Robot of our own configuration which we have dubbed "Scorpion". The only parts not from the original kit are the 9.6v battery, the Vex Wrist add-on, and some tape to mount the control unit where bolts were not feasible. At some point in the future the tape may be replaced with hook and loop fastener.

We are posting pictures of our creation along with a video you can check out.

As a side note we'd like to see more father and son teams at the competitions (not to mention mother-son, father-daughter and so on.)

New Vex Builder

4 wheel drive accurate to drawing, but not top performer

Revised Chassis ready for mounting electronics

Dissasembling Vex Exporer was easy

Spybot completed for Vexplorer

Wrist Kit must go! Vexplorer Robot better without it.

Well the testing is done and the verdict is in. The Wrist Kit is coming off of our VEXplorer Robot!

While it does improve dexterity in situations where the Vex explorer robot is being observed directly. It's effect on camera view in remote teleoperations are ultimately what got it nixed on our bot. We also believe that retrieval was faster and more certain without the Vex wrist kit addition.

I guess we still see our VEX Explorer being primarily used for remote operations.

I would however give the wrist kit good marks for durability and quality of construction. We offten used it like a crab leg to assist the robot in climbing over pizza boxes and such.

I really think and an elbow or "wrist" jointed arm that ended in two powered Vexplorer wheels would be a neat addition.

Take Care,

Alan

VEX Mystery Robot Explained by VEX Robotics Lab

In the previous blog we touched on the "other vex robot idea's" that appear in the Vexplorer Assembly Guide. We submitted the question to the VexLabs Forum and were told that the configuration appearing at the top of the page (refeffed to earlier as A1) is in designed so,

"The wheels on the arm are rollers for use as a roller-claw. The piece of claw bracket mounted to the front of the drivebase is the "bottom" of the claw. Basically, the rollers will roll an object up this bracket and hold it in place. This design was created to grip nerf-footballs, and carrry them around." Jon - Vex Engineer

I wonder if we can get it to punt? Seriously, roller claw was something that I'd not thought of, and could be pretty usefull for certain objets Perhpas I should have caught the hint on the Vex explorer Parts page where the optional explorer wheels pac is noted for such applications.

Also, using the arm, wrist kit and a motor and wheel kit with some minor pieses we might be able to make a well articulated roller gripped arm. That also could facilitate stair climbing or improve options in bad terrain. The's it should be able to be accomplished with modying the VEX Blue Controler (VEXplorer Contorler being reffered to as blue vs the orginal which is refferd to as the Red Contoller.)

Let ne know if you have related experiences or ideas.

Thanks,