I have joined the robotics club at my college.
We are entering a robot into the Student Robotics competition, hosted at Southampton University. We are part of team QMC and we have a little under 5 months to complete the project.
The challenge is to make autonomous robots which pick up cardboard boxes.
So I am trying to think of a way to pick up the boxes. I was thinking of compressed air. So how to provide the necessary suction? A bicycle tyre pump came to mind as one option - but how to actuate it? Solenoid? Central locking actuator, like this? A motor? An electric pump, like this? But weight and power consumption is important...
Also, the suction needs to be maintained for at least 30 seconds while the box is carried, even if the robot moves around or bumps into things. Then, when ready, there needs to be a way to release the box.
If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate input. Thanks.
We are entering a robot into the Student Robotics competition, hosted at Southampton University. We are part of team QMC and we have a little under 5 months to complete the project.
The challenge is to make autonomous robots which pick up cardboard boxes.
So I am trying to think of a way to pick up the boxes. I was thinking of compressed air. So how to provide the necessary suction? A bicycle tyre pump came to mind as one option - but how to actuate it? Solenoid? Central locking actuator, like this? A motor? An electric pump, like this? But weight and power consumption is important...
Also, the suction needs to be maintained for at least 30 seconds while the box is carried, even if the robot moves around or bumps into things. Then, when ready, there needs to be a way to release the box.
If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate input. Thanks.