2008 | Sir Lance-A-Bot

Quick Facts

  • Name: Sir Lance-A-Bot

  • Year: 2008

  • Weight: 120 lbs

  • Programming Language: Labview

  • Status: Decommissioned

  • Game: FIRST Overdrive

  • Initial Size: 37″ x 26″ x 59.5″

  • Extended Size: 37″ x 26″ x 11′

  • Competition History

    • Wisconsin Regional Winner
    • Minnesota Regional

  • Features

    • Double jointed arm
    • Octagonal manipulator used to pick up and hold 40 inch diameter ball
    • Single speed transmission drive train geared for ~10 feet/second
    • Incredibly strong super structural arm assembly
    • Composed of sheet aluminum with a hollow wood core.
    • The power reduction on the “elbow” part of the arm was the key part of the robot it was required to be quick to rise and yet powerful.
    • Consistent 3 turn hybrid mode

Competition Rankings

Wisconsin Regional

Rank 6 of 60

Minnesota Regional

Rank 12 of 54


Season Challenges:

  • When you have a gigantic arm it’s hard to figure out what motors to use. Understanding what motors to use for the “elbow” and “wrist” took a lot of trial and error. Additionally since it was such a tippy robot, we had to put the battery up front and controlling the claw was a bit of a struggle at competition since we only had two joysticks that were directly controlling the elbow and wrist. Making it smooth and communicating with the driver was difficult. The programming department also had some struggle working with the drive team to get the robot performing correctly in a way that was easy to control. First year of us doing any sort of articulation.
  • Since the claw was so large, it got in the way easily and spinning around often hit the side-wall of the field which would bend the claw and make it useless. Controlling the arm to put the trackball over the overpass was an exercise in focus and communication with the drive team and was never as confident as we hoped. During the championship match, the robot hit a sidewall during autonomous and the power cable came out, instantly killing the robot. We were the highest scoring robot on the field and we were literally powerless.