There, that was my MSDOS-like intro. I tried to make it as realistic as possible.
For the ones who didn’t understand it: It is a screenshot of a military command computer.
It connects with the TP-Bot via a satellite. The numbers in front is the time in hours, minutes and seconds. The sentences without anything in front are commands typed by the person behind the computer. The …: in front of these sentences mean to who the message should go.
The sentences started with – are a response from the computer, the satellite or the TP-Bot.
The balk bellow is the typing balk. As you can see it is about to command to shut the computer down (the _ is the cursor). Well, I guess that’s all.
The name of the robot is A/S-TP-Bot 2008. This means Toilet Paper-Bot made in 2008. The A/S is short for atack/spy (from the intro).
This robot is made to serve the toiletvisitor. You are probably wondering “Why is this an earthday-project, Where’s the catch?” There is a catch indeed. This robot prevents you from using too much toiletpaper. Six sheets per hour per person to be exact. And this robot does everything to stop you from cheating. The robot is compatible for use with five different persons.
How it is built:
The yellow front construction is a sideways built stacked hollow construction with room inside for mechanics. There are two axles with two wheels each inside to pull the toiletpaper. One axle is powered by a motor. If you turn the big wheel on the outside the toiletpaper will split and it will be useless. It’s a trap! On the top of the yellow piece there are two axles fortifying the front by keeping it together. On top of this construction the NXT is mounted. This entire thing is connected to a large, sturdy and stable base. The roll construction is also mounted on this base. The roll construction is a simple horizontal beam connected sturdy. The Roll is surrounded by safetybeams (to prevent stealing). The rollbrake (more information below) is connected on the base between the front and the roll. The R.P.C. (more information below) is built on the rollconstruction. The US-sensor is also connected on top of the roll. The entire thing weighs about 1700 grams (3, 75 pounds). The machine is 42 cm long (16, 5 inches), 36 cm wide (14, 17 inches) and 28 cm (11, 02 inches) high with the lever up.
It uses pieces from the big yellow crane (#8421), The towtruck (#8285), an old technic racecar and ofcourse the NXTset (#8527)
Here is how it works:
Step 1. You go to the bathroom and use the toilet.
Step 2. You press the orange button and the instructions on the screen will tell you what to do.
Step 3. Insert you accespass in the scanner, and type you secret 4 digit code.
The robot will scan your pass and tell you how much toilet paper you have left.
Step 4. You press the lever and the robot pulls a sheet out. (Repeat if necessary).
Step 5. Press the orange button if you are ready. Your accespass will be ejected.
That’s all.
You will find some overview pictures at the left.
The lever:
The lever is a simple crowbar construction. It has one hingepoint at the right. It has a guidancepoint with a rubberpiece underneath it to push it back up. The button of the lever is a simple Lego tire. You might wonder: “Hmm, is that hygienic? Lots of peoples hitting the tyre with dirty toilethands?” That’s true. But I’ve build a solution. I seriously recommend that you wash the tire every three weeks. But how? It can’t be missing for a while? That’s why there is a spare button at the bottom of the machine. You now can easily click tire one off to wash it while you click tire two on the machine. Isn’t that clever and hygienic?
Picture 1: the lever
Picture 2: the spare button.
The buttonblocker:
If you read a little further you will notice that this robot has a lot of functions to stop stealing toiletpaper. But now you might wonder: “All that safetyfunctions while you can just restart the program and reset all values”. I also thought about that. In the program you need all nxtbuttons except the lower dark grey one. You do need this button to reset the program. So I simply placed a brick over the button!
Picture 3: the buttonblocker
Thats all!
keep reading for more functions.
There are two more extra functions to go!
The rollbrake:
You might think: “why all that password and accespasses when you can just cut the toiletpaper behind the frontconstruction and take as much as you want?”
Well, I also thought about that. You might have noticed that there is a motor on the base between the front and the roll. That is the rollbrake. The rollbrake places a powerful brakelever against the roll. There is a non-rolling tire at the end for extra grip. I the brake is placed there is no way to make the roll turn. Witch decreases the maximum number of sheets stolen to one. If you try to get a sheet the correct way, this is what happens.
1. The brake is pulled away.
2. A motor pulls a sheet trough the hole in the front.
3. the brake is placed back a little further (to compensate the roll getting thinner).
Picture 1: The rollbrake in place
Picture 2: The rollbrake retracted
Picture 3: The rippingedge at the front
The R.P.C.:
R.P.C. is short for Roll Position Corrector. If the roll gets thinner and thinner, The Rollbrake is going to miss the roll after a while. That’s why the R.P.C. is there. The R.P.C. is build from two hydraulic pumps (the ones you need to press), a connectionpoint, and a very long axle. The R.P.C. simply pushes the entire roll to the front from the inside of the roll. This helps the brake to reach the roll at all time and it also forms a small amount of needed tension on the toiletpaper.
Picture 4: The simulated position of the roll without the R.P.C.
Picture 5: The R.P.C in action
I believe there aren't more explanations needed.
You will find some pictures of the back of the front piece and some pictures with the back removed exposing the pullingsystem.
The pass-scanner is a real basic stacked construction. It is shielded from light as much as possible. It has the lightsensor inside to scan the colour of the accespasses. It uses one motor and two small technic-wheels (from an old racerset) to pull the pass in. Inside there are two small axles preventing the pass to “pop up”. The front has a small update that some picture don’t show. It has a passdepositbox on top. If you find someone else’s accespass you can donate it here. Lost and found system.
You can find some pictures to the left.
Picture 1: Overview
Picture 2: Front view
Picture 3: sideview
Picture 4: Top view with he op removed exposing the axles and the wheel.
Picture 5: the depositbox opened (i couln't take a better picture).
The accespasses. they must be printed to be 3 cm wide and 16 cm long (1,18 inch x 6,30 inches). Then you must fold and glue them so the pass is 3 cm x 8 cm. (1,18 inch x 3,15 inch).
Here’s a short overview of the main program.
The NXT-screen shows instructions. When you press the orange NXT-button it will ask for your accespass. The wheel of the scanner will turn until you insert your accespass. Then it will pull the pass in and scan it. Now you need to enter your password (to prevent stealing of accespasses and abuse of found ones). The display will tell you how much sheets you have left. If you press the lever, a sheet will come out. (repeat if necessary). If you are ready you will need to press the orange button. Your pass will be ejected.
This is the way the program looks. Download the program and you will see how everything is programmed. It is quite complicated. But I have added notes in the program witch should make it understandable for everybody. Click the orange cube at the start for extra information.
The program was fully created and fully debugged by dino_martino.
Program 1: the main program
Program 2: the set password program
Program 3: the myblock that must be named pass scanner
I have reached the atachment limit and there still are crucial myblocks missing.
you can download them in the projects TP-Bot 2008 programs and TP-Bot 2008 programs 2.
If you want to use the program you must download these myblocks.
That's all! enjoy my project and have fun!
dino_martino