RT-AWD - 2 Weeks till FRC

Imagine, if you will, a tricycle. If that's not possible look to the left. This year's 'Iobotics FIRST Robotics Competition robot will feature a new type of drive train system, with interesting physics built in. It is the Reverse Tricycle - All Wheel Drive system or RT-AWD for short. This system is slightly more risky than that of a normal four wheel skid-steer all wheel drive, but is simpler than a four wheel swerve drive system. It is riskier because its center of mass must remain within the triangle formed by the three wheels at all times, or it will tip over and fail miserably. This means that everything heavy should be kept near the front, or is counter balanced on the other side. It is less complicated than a full swerve drive system because only 1 of the 3 wheels rotate, as opposed to all four or even two of the four. Accompanying the extremely fun center of mass equations is the inclusion of the drive programming equations. The equations use the fact that the back wheel that rotates forms the center of rotation. The two front wheels move in a ratio to the distence to the distance from the center of rotation. Unfortunately the drive system doesn't use any thing like ABS or traction guages that tell when wheels slip using the fact that efficent drive comes from static friction as opposed to dynamic friction. The physics and math required for these drive systems are a little out of our league because they require calculus and differential equations... But thats something to look forward to I guess.

This is just part one of three (maybe three) discribing the three main features of this year's 2009 'Iobotics FRC bot. Thanks for reading...

Mark.

Blue Planet Solution! Same day post, part 2!

Another idea, that requires energy to be transmitted wireless, or through VERY long wires are airborne wind farms. This would use the technology of hot air balloon or helium which would hold the pod at a certain height, while creating drag holding the wind farm in place. The turbines would be turned by the natural jet stream very high up in the sky. It would also leave the land open for things like solar farms, etc and it could be done in any area around the world. The only problem is that the technology for wireless transmitition of energy is not up to par. Also I have no idea what the weather would do to the farms. Rusting would be an issue as it would be inside the clouds and icing can be a problem because of cold temperatures and a moist climate.

Thanks for reading
Mark.

Blue Planet Solution!

In the grand scheme of things saving the world from global warming is about an 11 out of 10. Not just because it makes our sky look nicer, but because it would make the world a better place. My solution is solar power, but not the traditional way. Placing solar panels in space in orbit, so they always face the sun, is a solution to the weather problems such as cloudiness, vog, and fog. To transmit energy is the hitch. Currently the technique used to create wireless power is to transmit high amplitude radio waves to a transceiver, but it can only power small objects such as a PDA charger or a wifi head set. Technology would have to greatly improve in this field to transmit energy. The other problem is that some radio waves are blocked by the earth's atmosphere causing a loss of efficiency. Overall this solution is extremely clean, but costly and inefficient, science would have to improve for this solution to be feasible.
Thanks for reading Mark.