Author Topic: VOTE! $200 Robot Contest! (Read 13032 times)

Admin · « **on:** August 31, 2007, 06:57:02 AM »

The original entries and contestant blurbs of their robot projects can be found here:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1507.0

The final 4 contestants (those who posted a tutorial

) are as shown:

Brandon121233
'Build a wall avoiding robot!'

GHF
'QuadriCopter - A flying robotics platform'

S. Karim
'Engineering: The Automated Turret w/ LEGOs'

Ro-Bot-X
'VCR Robot'

Admin · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2007, 07:05:46 AM »

A few other notes . . .

The full contest rules can be found here:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/free_robot_contest.shtml

I will be camping all weekend and wont have time to start reading tutorials till mid next week. Contestants can still improve their tutorials, but I cant promise I will see your improvements after next week.

For those who didnt yet make a tutorial but still declared an entry, you still have time. I can add your tutorial in late, and people are still allowed to change their votes.

Ro-Bot-X, you didnt officially submit an entry, but I still felt your tutorial to fit in the rules so I submitted it for you

Voting closes on Sept 20th, no exceptions.

ed1380 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2007, 03:30:16 PM »

pics for the flying robot don't work

Brandon121233 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2007, 04:20:20 PM »

what are the rules about voting for your own entry?? Will we be disqualified for that

Ro-Bot-X · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2007, 11:27:49 PM »

Quote from: Admin on August 31, 2007, 07:05:46 AM

Ro-Bot-X, you didnt officially submit an entry, but I still felt your tutorial to fit in the rules so I submitted it for you

Thanks, I didn't had time to work on the robot I intended to submit, so this was a nice surprise.

ed1380 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 02, 2007, 07:01:39 AM »

is there supposed to be just one page teh flying robot, cause thats all I see.

S. Karim · « **Reply #6 on:** September 02, 2007, 03:04:46 PM »

oh man this went horribly, I didnt even get to post a video or finish the tutorial.

sooo busy, sorry to let this down

Admin · « **Reply #7 on:** September 03, 2007, 07:18:41 PM »

Quote

what are the rules about voting for your own entry?? Will we be disqualified for that

you can vote for yourself if you want

Ok so I just got back from my nice trip to the beach in NC like 10 minutes ago . . . Probably wont look over the tutorials for the next few days so you guys got tons of time to fix em up nicer.

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #8 on:** September 04, 2007, 03:37:40 AM »

I guess then I can still enter... if not... pitty... ok I was late...

Admin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 05, 2007, 09:20:36 AM »

I just noticed a late entry by TrickyNekro . . . so Ill add him to the vote. Note that everyone is allowed to change their two votes until the end of this month.

TrickyNekro
'How to turn a bulldozer into a tank-like robot'

paulstreats · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2007, 06:21:40 PM »

are we voting on the tutorials alone? or also the end product?
I really want to vote, but i'd like to know if there is more to the quadricopter tutorial or an end video first, as this project could sway my balance. All i can see at the moment is how to assemble a motor which i presume instruction come with the kit anyway.. Id like to see the quadricopter up and running.
Also the automated turrent looks like it could be fun if it has auto aim and fire capabilities.

Im not complaining because i didnt enter (ill try to in the next competition) but its a shame to have got so far through your projects and not published all of the info.

Ive still got to vote but i think ill wait till the very last day in case there is any more to be added

Ro-Bot-X · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2007, 01:32:36 AM »

I was thinking the same thing here. Right now, the best written tutorial is "Build a wall avoiding robot". And it's a realy nice robot too. But if all tutorials would been complete, I would have a hard time trying to decide which is better.

Rebelgium · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2007, 06:35:18 AM »

Yes right now the best tutorial is the wallbot imho. Some tutorials aren't fully completed though, so this makes voting much easier.

Next time I'm hoping to enter my robot in the competition

When will the next contest take place?

Admin · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2007, 08:05:12 AM »

I set it up so you are allowed to change your vote. You can vote now, and if someone suddenly amazes you, you can still change the vote

I kept the vote secret for now so that doesnt influence the vote . . .

Quote

When will the next contest take place?

Ive had a good enough response that I will probably do it biannually. You can start your robot/tutorial at any time, and just enter it when I announce the next competition. Starting early will give you the advantage

And dont be afraid to advertise for me! The more entrants we get, the more prizes/money I will give out.

Rebelgium · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2007, 09:41:24 AM »

hmm twice a year sounds good, although I personally would like it every four months, I can live with it

And I was already advertising!

h3ro · « **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2007, 10:12:47 AM »

Admin, have you tried to contact firms such as sparkfun, digi-key or maybe a producer to try to get them to sponsor you with some prices for the challenge? I think this is the biggest and fastest growing robotics community online, so they should have some interest?

Not only do you write a lot of tutorials and spend lot of time helping people on the forum, your also willing to use your own money to encourage people to build robots. Very very kind of you!

Admin · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2007, 10:36:28 AM »

Quote

Admin, have you tried to contact firms such as sparkfun, digi-key or maybe a producer to try to get them to sponsor you with some prices for the challenge?

I can definitely find corporate sponsors, I just need more contestants first to make it worth their time . . . probably 15 or more? SoR is barely more than 2 years old though, so lots of room for growth I think.

If I get a corporate sponsor, they will probably donate products, and I might promise them that winners of the products will post their projects using those products . . . think you winners can handle it?

Rebelgium · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2007, 05:19:33 PM »

I agree,
I've been actively searching the web for anything robot related for a while now, and SoR is not only the best forum I found, it's also the best site for robot hobbyists...
Congrats on your work Admin, keep it up

That's exactly why I'm active here and not somewhere else.

Quote

I can definitely find corporate sponsors, I just need more contestants first to make it worth their time . . . probably 15 or more? SoR is barely more than 2 years old though, so lots of room for growth I think.

I'm going to try to enter my robot tutorial in the next competition.

Quote

If I get a corporate sponsor, they will probably donate products, and I might promise them that winners of the products will post their projects using those products . . . think you winners can handle it?

I must be honest here, I'd much rather get a cash prize (that I can obviously spend on anything I want) than a product (you have never chosen to use) and an obligation to make a robot with it and then write a tutorial around it...
Sorry to break it to you, but I think it's better to be honest

Maybe a coupon would be better? Don't get me wrong though, a prize is still a prize

But it would be a shame if you happen to get a product you don't even want. $:-\$

ed1380 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2007, 08:05:41 PM »

worst case senario sell the uneeded part

Admin · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2007, 08:29:41 PM »

Quote

an obligation to make a robot with it and then write a tutorial around it...

Rebelgium you make a good point about the tutorial part . . . dumb idea on my part

As for the robot parts, I can promise you Ill choose only good stuff. Like motor drivers or sensors or something I know you would want. Maybe gift certificates to a robot parts company . . . Ill look in to it more . . . the truth is, companies are much more likely to give away parts than money . . .

Rebelgium · « **Reply #20 on:** September 15, 2007, 06:39:13 AM »

Quote

Maybe gift certificates to a robot parts company . . . Ill look in to it more . . . the truth is, companies are much more likely to give away parts than money . . .

That's true, because the products they give away only cost the production costs for them. eg. giving away a 100$ sensor, only costs them 20$ to make it...
So they're much more likely to give a 100$ sensor than 100$ cash.

And gift certificates sound great

Ro-Bot-X · « **Reply #21 on:** September 15, 2007, 10:45:20 AM »

These will work for sure!
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php?cPath=32

Admin · « **Reply #22 on:** September 15, 2007, 12:45:12 PM »

good call Ro-Bot-X.

but i tried emailing sparkfun before with ideas and they just ignored me

ill try again for the next contest.

TrickyNekro · « **Reply #23 on:** September 16, 2007, 09:39:38 AM »

My robot is finished!!!
The How to construct part of the tutorial is ready!!!
The programming is left!!!
I'll post videos - codes explanations as soon as I have some free time!!!
I'm studying for school (final grade) far too many hours and I had a terrible lack of equipment so far (for example instead of a CNC mill I was using a wall impact drill!!!)
Sorry again for the delay!!!

Here a video with "responsive IR object avoidance" and some photos of how I shot the film and the robot finished:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rtgRziJnHA