STOMP BOT
Stomp Bot was the first combat robot I ever designed. It was started in 2018, before I could use any CAD software, and as such, was designed around a guitar pedal enclosure. This robot would be a defensive wedge, designed to push people around and deflect impacts. This iteration of the robot would go on to fight at SCRC Kilobots Nationals 2019, and would eventually be upgraded slightly into Stomp_Bot_2 in 2021.
Main Features
- Defensive Wedge
- Aluminum Chassis
- Big Foam Wheels
- Large gearboxes
- Wheelie bar to prevent falling backwards
Fights
Steamed Hams (Drum Spinner)
Steamed Hams is a very scary drum spinner using similar internals to Blastwave_I, except on two wheels... and built better. This fight started with me driving into a wall, then losing a wheel due to not properly tightening it. I was then propped up on my wheelie bar and counted out.
Super Nintendo Chalmers (Meltybrain Spinner)
Super Nintendo Chalmers is a meltybrain spinner, which means it uses its wheels to spin really fast, and modulates the speed to move around. Stomp Got a box rush, then spent the next little bit chasing them around the arena as it ping-ponged off walls. Stomp got a couple hits, then Chalmers stopped working, as its frame had warped on the impacts and the wheels were no longer touching the ground.
Highlander (Pneumatic Flipper)
Highlander is a really cool pneumatic flipper, so this match would be mostly about the ground game. Brian (who built both Steamed Hams AND Super Nintendo Chalmers) lent me a magnet that I superglued to my wedge to hopefully keep from popping up. I managed to get under Highlander a few times, but never managed to push it out. Highlander got a flip on Stomp, which inverted it, and I drove directly into the pit, and was knocked out of the tournament.
Chester (Clampy Control Bot) (Grudge/Exhibition)
This was such a fun match! The constant pushing and pulling from both of us was really fun. Stomp was the perfect size to get into Chester's mouth, and he managed to push me into some hazards. Eventually Chester got stuck in a corner, presumably having electronics issues. I managed to push him out of the corner, and into the pit.
Kelpie and a bunch of Fairyweights (Grudge/Exhibition/Rumble)
Kelpie is the 3lb bigger sibling to Highlander, and I really wanted to see Stomp hit the roof, so I organized this grudge match. Somewhere along the way it turned into a nondestructive rumble with a bunch of fairyweights (150g).
Doomba AKA Sgt. Stabby (Ring Spinner) (Grudge/Exhibition)
Doomba was a 3d printed ring spinner, which was really nifty! I let them get up to speed a couple times, since I wanted some durability testing from a horizontal spinner, and they knocked me around a bit! Eventually they bounced off my wedge and into the pit, closing out the match.
Mega London (Lifter) (Grudge/Exhibition)
Mega London was a lifter that could articulate a full 360 degrees, which was a fun opponent to fight! They got some good pushes and lifts in, I got some good pushes and lifts in, and eventually Stomp pushed them over to the pit, where they lifted themselves over the wall, and the match was over.
Steamed Hams Take 2 (and 3) (Drum Spinner) (Grudge/Exhibition)
I managed to convince Brian to fight stomp again with Steamed Hams, this time with all my wheels on. We got into the match, and I promptly fell out of the arena. I closed my pushout, and the match started again. This match was awesome. Stomp took so many hits and just kept on going, Eventually their weapon stopped, and it was a pushing match. At this point Stomp's wedge was so damaged, that they were able to get some good pushes in, and even pinned Stomp before the buzzer.
The Big Rumble (Grudge/Exhibition)
This was a rumble with 17 robots in it! It was pure chaos, but was really fun. Stomp got some pushes in before getting flipped, and falling out of the arena (again).
Overall, Stomp Bot's first tournament was a success. Not in the bracket, as it only won a single fight, but through its performance in the rumbles. Once I got more comfortable driving it, I could more readily point it where it needed to go, though I still kept driving out of the arena when I got flipped. The durability was amazing through, and it just kept on trucking.
Good Things
- Drivetrain could push around when it got under someone
- Durability was amazing
- It's really fun to watch it squirrel around
Flaws
- Lack of driving practice with a very touchy drivetrain
- Sometimes it was hard to flip back over due to the wheelie bar
- Power switch was held in with hot glue