[Dprglist] Sample Retrieval vacuum cleaner

[Doug Paradis]

John,
    Yes, a shop vac might have a role in a robot retrieving samples, but
there many much simpler ways to collect the objects. The one group that I
think has substantial experience in collecting items, is Iron Reign. They
have built many robots for various FIRST competitions which use a spinning
mechanism with a zip tie broom that sweeps items into a hopper. As i stated
in our previous message exchange, the rules do not require that the
specific objects be retrieved one at a time or be placed on the floor of
the home base (only in the home base).

   Also, the rules do not require the hunted objects to be in sight of the
home base, only that they be in the search area. There may be obstacles
between the home base and the object's location. So in my opinion truly
searching for the objects would be a better strategy, opposed to trying to
a  "collect them all and let god sort them out" method. We will see what
the contestants dream up in November.

   BTW, with the current state of technology available to hobbyists, I
think that vision is not only cheaper, but better. I challenge you to
outline an alternate method that is actually superior to vision in
performance for this task.

  I hope to see you compete. Start thinking about the contest and go for it.

Regards,
Doug P.



On Fri, Jan 18, 2019 at 11:00 PM John Swindle via DPRGlist <
dprglist at lists.dprg.org> wrote:

> Doug, et al,
>
> Good to see my emails to the list are no longer bounced. My comments about
> self-driving cars got me on the evil list for a while. (I would still
> rather be face-planted and rear-ended constantly than have any measurable
> chance that my car's software would kill me.)
>
> A solution to Sample Retrieval was voiced at the January meeting: a
> leafblower, but since there are no arena walls, that would not work. But a
> shop vac would. Seems that a statically-guided shop vac would win the
> contest.
>
> As usual, I am missing the point.
>
> Thank you for reminding me that vision processing is chosen not because it
> is good but because it is cheap. I'd forgotten that. Indeed, in my classes,
> I emphasize that the choice of processor, memory, and expansion bus has
> less to do with performance: It has most to do with what is cheap.
>
> I have a Kirby, but Hoover is better known for cleaning up. Seems like a
> solution to the contest. No height limit given.
>
> Best to you, a very patient person,
>
> John Swindle
>
>
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