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For the FIRST LEGO League 2016-2017 Animal Allies we prepared an attachment for lifting the robot. The idea of the attachment is to show how you could lift the whole robot with a system of gear wheels, levers, and scissors constructions.

Built mainly from LEGO Mindstorms EV3 parts but could probably be constructed from NXT sets.

These are the official robot rules for the FIRST LEGO League Hydrodynamics 2017-2018 robot missions. 

Background

A space telescope is astonishing, but it can’t beat the accessibility and simplicity of a college or science museum observatory – that is, if you know how and where to point it.

Mission

Rotate the observatory to a precise direction.

Scores

• Get the pointer tip completely in orange, or partly covering either of orange’s end-borders: 20 OR
• Get the pointer tip completely in white: 18 OR
• Get the pointer tip completely in grey, or partly covering either of grey’s end-borders: 16
• Possible Scores: 0, 16, 18, 20

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

The chance of a “serious” meteoroid hitting earth in our lifetime is extremely low, but it’s not zero, and the devastation could truly wipe us out. How will scientists and engineers keep us safe?

Mission

From west of the free-line, send one or both meteoroids independently to the meteoroid catcher. “Independently”: see also M01, Section “Scoring Requirements”.

Scores

• Meteoroid(s) touch(es) the mat in the centre section of the meteoroid catcher: 12 each
• Meteoroid(s) touch(es) the mat in either side section of the meteoroid catcher: 8 each
• Possible scores: 0, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• The meteoroids need to be sent over the free-line to touch the mat in the meteoroid catcher > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• The meteoroids must be hit/released while they are clearly and completely west of the free-line. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• While between hit/release and scoring position, the meteoroid must be clearly independent. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• If ever the ring-set meteoroid is off its ring, you may remove the ring from the field by hand. This is a special exception to the rules.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Soon after a launch, rocket engines often separate away from spacecraft by design, but that’s long before the spacecraft leaves the pull of gravity. So why doesn’t the spacecraft fall back to earth?

Mission

The robot needs to impact the strike pad hard enough to keep the spacecraft from dropping back down.

Scores

• Get the spacecraft to go so fast and high that it stays up, by pressing/hitting the strike pad: 24
• Possible scores: 0, 24

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• Activate the spacecraft by pressing/hitting the strike pad. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Solar panels in space are a great source of energy for a space station in the inner solar system, but since things in space are always moving, aiming the panels takes some thought.

Mission

Solar panels need to be angled toward or away from you, depending on strategy and conditions.

Scores

• Both solar panels are angled toward the same field: 22 (for both teams)

• Your solar panel is angled toward the other team’s field: 18

• Possible scores: 0, 18, 22, 40 as shown below and seen from above your north border, facing north.

“Your” solar panel is the one on your west end of the table.

Scoring Requirements

• Results must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Incredible engineering accomplishments like space travel come about in steps. And many huge, progressive sub-goals need to be met before we can forever leave earth and live to tell about it!

Mission

The robot needs to send payload rockets (carts) rolling down the space travel ramp. The first cart is preset and ready to go, but the robot needs to load the other two from the base.

Scores

• Vehicle payload rolled down the space travel ramp: 22
• Supply payload rolled down the space travel ramp: 14
• Crew payload rolled down the space travel ramp: 10
• Possible scores: 0, 10, 14, 22, 24, 32, 36, 46

Scoring Requirements

• For each roll, the cart must be independent by the time it reaches the first track connection ramp. > Note: Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• Start each payload clearly rolling down the space travel ramp. > Note: Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• As a mission requirement in any mission, the word “independent” means “not in contact with any of your equipment. > As long as the cart clearly rolls independently past the first track connection, it’s okay if it doesn’t roll all the way east.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Space is quiet and beautiful, but with almost no heat, air, nor air pressure, it could freeze, suffocate, and boil you all at once! Help our spacewalking astronaut “Gerhard” get to safety.

Mission

The robot needs to get Gerhard’s body into the airlock chamber.

Scores

• Astronaut completely in the habitation hub’s airlock chamber: 22 OR
• Astronaut partly in the habitation hub’s airlock chamber: 18
• Possible scores: 0, 18, 22

Scoring Requirements

• For this mission, the word “body” includes all parts except the loop.
• Results must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

It is amazingly expensive to send heavy stuff like construction material into space, so scientists and engineers are instead learning how to print what they need in space, using available extraterrestrial elements.

Mission

The robot needs to get a regolith core sample and place it into the 3D printer, which will cause the 2 × 4 brick to pop out. The ejected 2 × 4 brick can then be delivered elsewhere for more points.

Scores

• The 2 × 4 brick ejected and completely in the northeast planet area: 22 OR
• The 2 × 4 brick ejected and not completely in the northeast planet area: 18
• Possible scores: 0, 18, 22

Scoring Requirements

• Results must be visible at the end of the match.
• Eject the 2 × 4 brick by placing a regolith core sample into the 3D printer. > Only allowed method. Must be obserserved by the referee.

(mission descriptions source: https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Gardening is easy, right? You just need a truckload of rich soil, some rain, sun, fertilizer, helpful bugs, CO₂ and a rake but what if you were orbiting Neptune, in a room the size of a minivan?

Mission

Move the push bar the right distance at the right speed, to get into the green scoring range.

Scores

• Spin the food growth chamber’s colours so the grey weight is DROPPED after green, but before tan, by moving the push bar: 16
• Possible scores: 0, 16

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• Spin the food growth chamber’s colors must be spun by moving the push bar. > Only allowed method. Must be oberserved by the referee.

(mission descriptions source: https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

To live away from earth, it would help if we were good at detecting and mining resources under the surfaces of other planets, moons, asteroids, and even comets.

Mission

The robot needs to get all the core samples out of the core site model, then it has options for what to do with them as described here, and in mission M03.

Scores

• Move all four core samples so they are no longer touching the axle that held them in the core site model: 16
• Place the gas core sample so it is touching the mat, and completely in the lander’s target circle: 12 OR
• Place the gas core sample completely in base: 10
• Place the water core sample so it is supported only by the food growth chamber: 8
• Possible Scores: 0, 16, 24, 26, 28, 34, 36

Scoring Requirements

• Results must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source: https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Though spacecraft travel crazy-fast, even the shortest trips involve a lot of time for the traveller’s body away from labour and recreation, which is bad for the heart and lungs.

Mission

The robot needs to repeatedly move one or both of the exercise machine’s handle assemblies to make the pointer advance.

Scores

• Get the pointer tip completely in orange, or partly covering either of orange’s end-borders: 22 OR
• Get the pointer tip completely in white: 20 OR
• Get the pointer tip completely in grey, or partly covering either of grey’s end-borders: 18
• Possible scores: 0, 18, 20, 22

Scoring Requirements

• Advance the exercise machine’s pointer along its dial by moving one or both of the handle assemblies. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• Results must be visible at the end of the match.

Background

If a satellite doesn’t have the correct velocity and distance from earth, it can fall, drift away, fail to function or get destroyed by debris. Propulsive adjustments need to be performed with precision.

Mission

The robot needs to move one or more satellites to the outer orbit.

Scores

• Move any part of a satellite on or above the area between the two lines of the outer orbit: 8 each
• Possible scores: 0, 8, 16, 24

Scoring Requirements

• Result must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

For rovers in other worlds, getting stuck is definitely not okay! Teams of rovers can help each other, but a lone rover needs to be very careful.

Mission

The robot or whatever agent-craft it sends out needs to cross the craters model completely, by driving directly over it. Not near it. Not around it.

Scores

• Robot or agent-craft crossed the craters model completely: 20
• Possible scores: 0, 20

Scoring Requirements

• All weight-bearing features of the crossing equipment must cross completely between the towers. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• The crossing must be from east to west, and make it completely past the flattened gate. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.

(mission descriptions source: https://www.first-lego-league.org/)