In 2005, 116 implimented the first ever , “cambered holonomic drive” in FIRST competition history. It is much like a standard holonomic drive, a form of omni-directional drive that allows you to instantly change direction by changing the speed of each of the motors. The unique part about the cambered system is that each of the 4 wheels (positioned at the corners), is tilted, as so it reduces the center of gravity, expands the conservative support polygon, and in turn, greately improves stability. In the 2005 game, Triple Play, stability was a key issue with robots raising 8 lb. tetras over 10 feet in the air and sometimes several feet away from the robot.
Epsilon Delta also used a totally enclosed control system, known as the “control box” in 2005. It protected much of the vital control elements, and created a “wind tunnel” to ensure that they were kept cool, while still allowing all of the lights to be visible. It also could be completely removed from the robot in under 30 seconds, and then opened up for repair on control elements. This made it very quick and very easy to do on-the-fly repairs, which is critical in a fast paced event like Triple Play.
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