Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #03571
To: Bob Shannon bshannon@tiac.net, Jean auBois aubois@trail.com,
From: Dennison dennlill@buffnet.net
Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 12:09:18 -0400
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Rolling wheel design..Rollerbots (was: Star Wars Ep1...)
When making a rollerbot, one has to think of how the device will turn. We
undersdtand the miniball phenonenom, where the shifting weight makes it go
forwards. Many people suggested shifitng two weights for directional
controll. This method doesn't actually seem like it would work very well. So
I went back to the miniball. First, I decided to elongate the ball, as when
it's entirely circular it's motion is far too random for good use. So I put
a little strip of cardboard between the two sphere halves, that way it
normally roles straight. To turn, I need to slightly tip the ball, using a
weight with a short radius or swing, I can accomplish this. As the sides of
the bot are circular, ( the halves of the miniball) the circumference is
smaller, since it's smaller it's velocity is lower, so when the bot leans
onto it's sides, it works like differential steering, where it sudenly
doesn't turn as fast, and the bot begins to pivot around that point. in this
fashion I steer. I've been working wth a weighted version, and as soon as I
get my hextiles back, I'm going to work on a bicore version.
Dennison
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