Hello world! Lessons From My First Event
Entering the realm of robotic combat through an ARC event was a baptism by fire (quite literally) for my engineering prowess. Eager to defy convention, I committed to a non-traditional weapon – a torsion-driven stabbing mechanism. Little did I know that this bold move would plunge me into a labyrinth of challenges.
My design’s heavy motor and spring pushed my creation into a higher weight class, prompting a swift redesign to accommodate the added heft. Enter the shuffler – simple and lightweight, yet painfully slow. Underestimating the competition’s agility proved to be my first mistake.
In the arena, my weapon struggled to find its mark. The force failed to transfer smoothly, leaving Bad Doctor, my creation, ineffective. I faced defeat in both matches, a humbling experience that sparked a wave of self-reflection.
Lessons learned echoed through the clangs of battle. My custom ESP32 controller proved reliable, seamlessly integrating with existing systems. The custom robot control PCB, with its motor drive circuits and safing mechanism, performed admirably.
Yet, challenges persisted. The spring actuator misfired, occasionally jamming, while the drive motors stalled intermittently. A stark realization dawned – in my quest to simplify, I unintentionally amplified the system’s complexity.
The arena may have witnessed my first defeats, but it also bore witness to invaluable lessons. Bad Doctor’s demise fueled my determination to refine and return, armed not just with a robot but with newfound insights. The journey, though marked by defeat, was a triumph of learning and a testament to the evolving nature of engineering in the arena of combat robotics.