From Zero to PSI - Experimenting with Pneumatics in Combat Robots

Ever since I started really paying attention to combat robotics, and not to mention learning how to build them, I have been fascinated by launcher bots. Sure, Hypershock is my favorite Battlebot, but it's not what I want to build. I love the thought of shooting my opponent across the arena or into the ceiling. 

So, for the last several months I have been gathering as much data as I could to get my head wrapped around building something. However, I have a major challenge, I know too little, and there are so many options for components. I have been following the Facebook bot communities and scouring Youtube to try and find something, and find something I did. 

David Small of Team Small Robots and Malice posted a video about his pneumatic flipper Kelpie a little less than a year ago. Oh my goodness, that was what I needed to see. He is no doubt lightyears ahead of me in development but gave me a vision for what could be accomplished. So, I did what every good builder does, I learned everything I could from the video. While, I gained a bit more knowledge of terminology, I still didn't quite get how it all fit together. At least I now know the parts I am looking for. 

Most of my research (which feels funny to say because of my day job) still left me overwhelmed with regard to where to go to get parts. I have a list of sites that I can start sifting through, and luckily enough there is a member of the combat robotics Facebook group that works for a company that produces paintball gun components. At the writing of this, I do not know the company name. But apparently they had some old pneumatic components from an earlier gun series that he was willing to share for those who were wanting to experiment a bit. Needless to say, I raised my hand and waved it around requesting the parts. 

So here I am, super excited to be getting the process of creating a pneumatic flipper going. I can't wait. I have been working on upgrades to my arena and think I finally have a plan for the Lexan (road trip). As for the flipper, I fully plan on chronicling how things go. Besides, I will forget something if I don't. In the mean time, stay safe.