DIY Network

Robot Rivals: Rochester vs. Worcester Polytechnic Institute From "Robot Rivals" episode DROB-204

Host Chris Chianelli pauses for a moment of meditation and reflection on amateur robotics.

Overview

Teams from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Rochester are asked to design and build a robot that can move within an enclosed area and cut grass without the use of traditional spinning blades or wires. Both robots compete well, but WPI chooses speed over accuracy and pays the price in the end. Rochester cuts more grass and advances to the next round of Robot Rivals.

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	The team from the University of Rochester.
	The team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The Teams

Worcester Polytechnic Institute:

Tim Baird, Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Rick Petty, PhD Student, Biomedical Engineering
Chris Werner, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering

University of Rochester:

Thomas Kollar, Senior, Computer Science
Eric Lunin, Senior, Environmental Engineering
Geoff Dawson, Freshman, Computer Science

The Designs

WPI designs a four-wheel-drive robot with tractor steering and a sheering device reminiscent of electric hedge clippers.

Rochester designs a four-wheel-drive robot with lengths of razor-thin wire stretched across the width of a spinning paddle

The Construction

Host Chris Chianelli introduces the teams to their challenge: to build a lawn mowing robot. With the help of Brian Nave and Buzz Dawson, both teams begin brainstorming. As the teams continue to design they are shown the "lawn" that will be used for the challenge.

As the teams develop their initial design ideas, Buzz and Brian reveal the surprise household item: gardening tools. WPI lays out their electronics and assembles the drive motors. Rochester locks in a design and begins to cut materials to be used in their robot. Both teams continue to build their robots.

Both teams work assembling the drivetrains for their robots. WPI manufactures a set of cutting blades from some flat aluminum stock, while Rochester is going with a spinning assembly that has wire on the ends to cut the grass. Rochester splits into teams to assemble the different parts of their robot.

Midway through the construction phase, Chris talks to Brian and Buzz about how their respective teams are doing. WPI tests their drive system successfully and continues to work on assembling the rest of the pieces of their robot. Rochester's team is working hard to finish the complicated cutting assembly and get it attached to their frame.

Both teams employ the same idea -- to house their electronics in the bucket of the seeder -- but the two teams approach mounting it onto their robots differently. WPI tests their cutter and with some minor adjustments it works. Rochester also finishes assembling and tests their cutter successfully.

The Contest

Both robots compete well, but WPI chooses speed over accuracy and pays the price in the end. Rochester cuts more grass and, ultimately, moves on to the next round of competion.

The Winners: Rochester

RESOURCES :

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