Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!pacbell.com!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!van-bc!ubc-cs!mgobbi
From: mgobbi@cs.ubc.ca (Mike Gobbi)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Re: Micro "Mouse" discussion?
Message-ID: <10508@ubc-cs.UUCP>
Date: 19 Nov 90 07:28:46 GMT
References: <9322@aggie.ucdavis.edu>
Sender: news@cs.ubc.ca
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lines: 20


If the maze is guaranteed to only contain 90 degree corners, here is a
quick method:

have 8 wheels on the robot - 4 pointing north/south and 4 pointing east/west.
The two sets are on separate frames, and are set up so that only one set is
lowered at a time.<< forgive the noise.  SOmeone just picked up
the phone>>

Thus, to go north, spin wheels in one direction.  To go south, spin the other
way.  To go east or west, lower the e/w frame and raise the n/s frame, then
turn wheels in appropriate direction.

Using solenoids to raise and lower the wheels allows for almost instantaneous
transfers.  The biggest flaw that this robot has is that if it gets out of
alignment somehow (careening off a wall is a good way...) it cannot recover.
--
     __
    /..\      In quest of knowledge...
 --mm--mm--         Mike Gobbi