The Burd — 2007

The Burd scores a ringer at the Los Angeles Regional

The Burd was our robot for the 2007 game, Rack and Roll. It had an arm driven by one window motor and a pneumatically activated gripper that could score up to eight ringers per match. Its signature weapon was its "wings," which were pneumatically raised platforms that could life other robots to earn up to 60 points a match. This feature won the Delphi "Driving Tomorrow's Technology" Award at the Los Angeles Regional. The Burd's sturdy design and adaptability to the game allowed us to get Finalist at the Los Angeles Regional, and get first place at the San Diego Regional. This season, for the first time in our team's history, we were able to attend the international championships in Atlanta!

Teams we lifted during matches

Technical Specifications:

Weight: 120 lbs.
Height: 48 inches

Drive Train

– Four CIM motors
– Two single speed AndyMark transmissions
– Six wheel tank drive, center wheels lowered for maneuverability
– Custom designed aluminum wheels

Arm

– Powered by one non-backdriveable window motor
– Gripping actuated by one 8-inch stroke, 3/4-inch bore pneumatic cylinder
– Custom machined arm joint and gearbox
– Z-shaped design to correct inter-subsystem interference

Wings

– Four 12-inch stroke, 2-inch bore pneumatic cylinders
– Custom welded platforms
– Hollow aluminum sliding rods
– Four linear bearings
– Spring-loaded release mechanism

Electrical/Pneumatics

– On-board air compressor
– Four air accumulators for maximum air storage
– Camera for tracking green light on "spider" (scoring rack)

Programming

– Autonomous mode that uses the camera to track the green light on the "spider" in order to score
– On-board gyro for autonomous control
– Shaft encoders for tracking autonomous movement
– Potentiometer for tracking arm position

The Burd in action at the L.A. Regional