Robotics Challenge 2002 -- Building the Gizmo

			Robotics Challenge 2002 The Challenge

How to build the balloon gizmo

Robotics Challenge
   Build the Board
   Build Object
   Build Gizmo
   Awards

These are the directions for building the Robotic Park "Light/Balloon Launch Mission". Begin with these three non-Lego components, all obtainable at your local Radio Shack for under $5.00 combined. The lamps are part # 272-1133A. Notice the lamps are 7.5 volts for maximum brightness while using a 9 volt battery. The holder is part #272-357. The battery/wire connectors come five to a pack and I forget the part number, sorry.

Create a hollow cube, 8 Lego studs square and 6 bricks high. The bottom can be any combination of flat plates to form a solid base to which Velcro strips will be attached.
Velcro will also be attached to the game board to allow the light to be repositioned.

Leave an opening at the rear side of the cube to accommodate the wire to the Lamp Base.

The back must be enclosed to prevent light from interfering with the neighboring table.
The model shown has some of the base plate protruding from the side to form a ledge to hold a "cradle" for holding the battery. Wire the Lamp Base as shown and twist the bulb into place. Be sure the wire is bare where the screws hold it.

The "Plunger" is a 10--stud axle. One end has a round brick and smooth plate to form the button. The axle is fitted through two 4--stud beams attached to the roof as shown.

Here's a "Head-On" view.

There are two smooth plates making up the back two "rows" of the roof.
At the back end of the plunger is a short axle-on-a-bushing piece. This piece is what holds the balloon string and is held down by the end of the protruding blue brick.

The balloon is holding the yellow bushing/axle piece against the blue brick with its string as it tries to rise.

The plunger is pushed in, the yellow piece is forced back and out from under the blue brick and the upward momentum of the balloon spins the axle, releasing the balloon.

2/11/02 Adjustment to the balloon gizmo: At the end of the plunger we have added a counter weight which will assist the releasing of the balloon. The balloon gizmo also now has 4 extensions protruding out of the back by 2 studs to allow space for the counter weight to fall. We felt this addition was needed to keep the gizmo from slamming too hard against the wall and potentially limiting the release of the balloon.

2/13/02 We need to add 2 - 10 stud beams to the top of the light object. They would be stacked on top of each other and placed on the right side of the of the plunger on top of the whole unit. (The part closest to
your home base) They will stick out 4 studs in front. This is to prevent teams from making a robot that just
follows the wall and slaps the side to hit the plunger rather than following the light.

Rhode Island School of the Future
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Robotics Challenge 2002 The Challenge

How to build the balloon gizmo

Robotics Challenge 2002
The Challenge