Convert boe-bot to sumobot

bmcnicho

My students loved the Intro to Robotics class. I was thinking of doing an advanced class with sumobots. Is there a parts list that I can get to convert our boe-bots to sumobots? I'm assuming that this is possible, cost friendly, and fairly easy.

Thanks!

Diane

Genetix

Hello Diane,

The Boe-Bot and Sumo-Bot are completely different and you can't convert one to the other.
Being that you an educator, give Parallax's education department a call and also request access to the Educator forum if you don't have it already.

LoopyByteloose

I think that the short answer is the BOEbot's chassis is too big to fit in the mini-Sumobot regulation size.
The rest of the parts should work fine. But wheels with more tread do have a traction advantage when pushing.

I suppose you could figure out a way to build a chassis that would work. (Or cut down the BOEbot chassis to fit!) The board might have to be sloped upward to fit in the regulation dimensions, but there is no height limit. Try and keep your batteres low to prevent tipping over.

http://robogames.net/rules/all-sumo.php

Franklin

If you are competing amoung yourselves there is no need to conform to the specs and you can just work on the code. As long as everyone is using the same chassis you will have a fair competition.

bmcnicho

I was just planning on an in class competition for my homeschool co-op. I've already ordered QTIs for our boe-bots. Will the sumobot scoop fit the boe-bot? Or would I be better off trying to make something on my own? Is there anything else I'll need?

I bought the boe-bot in part because a post on a Parallax forum said that they can be converted to sumobots. I'm trying to keep the costs of this class as low as possible. I have the kids working on laptops from 2000 and 2002 - that's how cheap I am! They were so funny when they saw them - "What's this drive? A CD won't fit here," and "Can this even get the internet?"

Anyway, regulation sizing isn't important. I just want to give the kids an opportunity for the class. I figure I'll offer an intro class in the fall and different advanced classes in the spring. (Hopefully sumobot!)

Thanks!

Martin_H

The Boe-bot's chassis has so many attachment points that almost any scoop should fit with a little creativity. Parallax sells aluminum right angle brackets that should let you bolt a scoop on and then bend to the desired angle. They're fifty cents each I bought a bunch of them and use them for all sorts of things. But a small wooden shim might work too.