Chapter 6 Answers

Questions from Drew:
Define what modular is.
How can you maximize modularity?
What can make a robot move faster?
What is chassis?
What are hybrid creations?


In chapter 6 of the NXT textbook, we learn about building strategies, stud less building techniques, inertia, modularity and much more. The chapter focuses mainly on the importance of making a smaller, more compact but yet lighter-weight assembly for your robot. One of the most integral parts of building this type of light-weight robot is Modularity. Modularity is a way that you construct a robot that makes it as easy as is possible to take apart. The best way to maximize this modularity is to create subassemblies (small working parts that don't do much on their own) that when combined make up a complete and well built robot.

The next part of the chapter deals with the positioning of gears and beams and the Chassis of the robot. The chassis is the frame of the robot that the rest of the assemblies and subassemblies are built in to. The textbook states that we want the wheels or any form of gears as close to the beams as possible. We want to do this because it will keep the robot as compact as possible while reducing the spread of weight and materials. All these things together reduce the amount of friction of the robot's wheels to the ground and allow for quicker acceleration for the robot.

This chapter also states that you do not have to stick solely to studded blocks and building techniques or studless blocks and building techniques. There are certain robots that use all four of these things to effectively create what are known as hybrid creations.

Questions for Drew:
Give one example of how mass affects inertia.
Why is positioning of the load important for building strategies?
Why do we want to place gears as close to supporting beams as possible?
Define tension and compression as stated in the textbook.
What is the main structural component of a robot built with studless pieces?