Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Chapter 6 Summary

The Chapter 6 "Building Starategies" is generally about how to build robots effectively with subchapters divided into five: studless building tech, modularity, loading structure, assembly and hybrid robots. In the summary, it says things that are written are only suggestions but let's have a look at it and see how it can help us.

When several beams are connected, the mostly-used and helpful method is "parallel linkage" which is a method to connect beams in a parallel position. However, as the robot is being built, it is discovered that compression and tension by weight of a robot cause for the robot to be apart. To counter this, not only one support is used for each of them but two supports at both sides of each of them are used. The key point is that though more components are added to make the robot more rigid and strong, it should remain light to have less effects by inertia from weight of the robot, which disturbs immediate changes in motion.

Maximizing modularity is strongly recommended in this chapter for two main reasons; it is easier to attach additional components without affecting whole structure and mobility is improved since it can be taken apart and reassebled wherever I want. It can be done by building subassemblies.

Where should a supporting beam be to support an axle of a wheel? Can it be far from the wheel or can it be just close to a gear? All of the previous suggestions can happen but in a way of efficiency, the supporting bean has to be nearest to the wheel without disturbance. Plus, if it is a case that more than two gears are connected, then it is better for a supporting beam to connect them in a same direction as theirs. By the way, in a way of balance, the main part and the heaviest part, NXT, is better to face upward and to be near the two main wheels.

At the ending of this chapter, it suggests a way to reuse studded LEGO pieces from the previous version, which is called "Hybrid Robots" The term is used when both studless and studded pieces are used and generally it happens to be more flexible, more rigid and better looking.

4 comments:

Sul-Ki Yu said...

You have clearly summarized chapter 6 with details

Johnny said...

Perhaps you could have explained about inertia more. The first person who reads your post may not be sure what it is. Apart from it, a solid summary !!

Navid said...

Easy-to-follow and very complete summery. well done!

l.clark said...

Very clearly done, the first paragraph is very useful in over viewing the topics you will be summarizing.