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Hardware revision In 1lb and 3lb combat robotics, every gram counts, so I prefer to build custom control boards to minimize weight. However, designing a new board for each robot became tedious, especially when most share the same fundamental requirements: receiving commands from a handheld controller and driving motors—both for movement and a high-current ESC/BLDC…
Hardware revision · V1 retrospective A universal, weight-conscious ESP32-C3 control board for 1lb and 3lb combat robots — BLE-linked to an Xbox gamepad, with brushed motor H-bridges and high-current outputs for ESCs and weapons. Version 1 was the first attempt; this post documents what worked, what didn’t, and why the next revision took the shape…
Quick note A custom fixture that automates door hardware testing — mechanical unlock, latching cycle, and a spring-loaded door for dynamic slam loading. To automate the testing of door hardware, I developed custom fixtures to perform the mechanical unlocking of the deadbolt and latching mechanism, along with a spring loaded door that would apply a…
Project story A first combat robot event, a torsion stabbing weapon that did not work, and a robot named BadDoctor that taught more from its losses than its wins would have. The question Entering the realm of robotic combat through an ARC event was a baptism by fire (quite literally) for my engineering prowess. Eager…