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Measure Distance Travelled on Sumo Bot — Parallax Forums

Measure Distance Travelled on Sumo Bot

ramatronicsramatronics Posts: 2
edited 2011-09-17 20:28 in BASIC Stamp
We have a engineering contest coming up and we purchased a couple of sumo robot kits.

http://www.parallax.com/Store/Robots/AllRobots/tabid/128/ProductID/319/List/0/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName

Is it possible to measure and detect the amount of distance traveled by the robot, and make it stop. We can not use any electronic energy to propel the robot forward, but we are wondering if we can make it stop.

The rules are that we can't make it move electronically, as the only source of kinetic energy will be from gravity. There will be a ramp where it has to come down and stop exactly 30 centimetres away from the ramp.

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2011-09-17 16:00
    Are you serious? 30 metres is 98.4 feet. You want a free-rolling skateboard or better, not a Sumo Bot. Those won't coast an inch.
  • ramatronicsramatronics Posts: 2
    edited 2011-09-17 16:10
    erco wrote: »
    Are you serious? 30 metres is 98.4 feet. You want a free-rolling skateboard or better, not a Sumo Bot. Those won't coast an inch.
    SHOOT,
    sorry i meant CENTIMETRES
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2011-09-17 16:55
    30 cm= 11.7 inches. The sad facts about Sumobots remain:
    erco wrote: »
    Those won't coast an inch.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2011-09-17 20:28
    You would need to modify the servo to enable them to coast freely, or use some other wheels. Removing a gear from inside the servo would disconnect the output shaft form the motor, it would be easy to do. As for measuring distance look at encoders. You can use something like this, or make your own using an IR led and receiver.
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