Integrated SolutionsCapital Investment = Infrastructure. Infrastructure = Resources. Resources = Money. Money = Happiness and Fulfillment. To maximize Happiness and Fulfillment, significant capital investment is devoted into smart systems (TRACTORS), which manipulate MINERS to resource-rich locations. |
Layout
BusinessBot, like our company structure, is vertically integrated.
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Motor DriveBusiness Bot drives using two independently controlled 4" wheels. The large diameter and thin profile of the wheel enables Business Bot to be speedy while keeping the drive train tightly packaged. Each wheel is driven through a DC motor. Custom-printed motor brackets, pillow block bearings, and helical couplers on the drive shaft all serve to mitigate side loads from contact and misalignment on the motor. The wheels and a front-mounted ball caster form three points of contact, which helps maintain good taction over the wheels.
Infrared SweepA pair of NPN infrared phototransistors are mounted onto a rotating servo, with 90 degrees of separation. This gives the TRACTOR a 270 degree view of the field, with increased IR beacon detection resolution in the front 180 degrees. There is also a third stationary, front-facing phototransistor to continuously provide information for what is immediately in-front of the TRACTOR. All IR phototransistors are shielded in a heat-shrink tunnel (not shown) to limit their field-of-view and increase their MINER-tracking precision.
DimensionsBusinessBot fits within a 30cm cube per requirements per industry regulations. The near-spec footprints enables BusinessBot to hold all circuits, sensors, actuators, batteries, (and businessmen), while maintaining a low center of mass for stability.
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Gripper MechanismTwo electromagnets mounted on the front of Business Bot interact with the ferrous material wrapped around the rim of each MINER's flange. The electromagnets are positioned to be normal to the MINER's flange perimeter when in contact. A limit switch detects when Business Bot has successfully acquired the miner. Both electromagnets and the limit switch are attached to a custom printed mount and attached via bolts on slotted holes that allow for alignment adjustments to be made.
BumperA sliding piece of bent acrylic form a transparent bumper around Business Bot. Because the International Treaty Between Nations stipulates that TRACTORs are required to back off if it is responsible for contact with another bumper, pairs of limit switches detect when collision occurs. Rubber bands mounted from each corner of the bumper to threaded-rod supports keep the bumper in neutral (central) position when the bumper is not engaged. The bumper can be easily slid up and removed for quick access to batteries, amongst other internal components.
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