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What
gives the
Pitsco TETRIX® Robotic Design System an edge over other
robot building systems is – of all things – its holes.
The
system’s patented hole pattern enables structural pieces to be connected at
many angles, not just 90º and 180º. “To
get creative with it is very easy because of the way it is connected,” said
Paul Uttley, Pitsco Research and Development Manager and TETRIX designer.
Pitsco
designed the TETRIX system for the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), which includes
TETRIX in its 2008 competition kit.
“We wanted a true robotics prototyping
platform that would allow us to challenge teams with problems faced by
real-world robotics designers,” said FIRST Tech Challenge Director Ken Johnson.
“The strength of the building materials, the ability to configure and reconfigure
the kit multiple times, the metal gears, all work together to form a kit that
is tough and flexible.”
Made of heavy-duty aluminum, the
structural pieces come in shapes that lend extra strength to the system. Plus,
metal gears and strong drive motors and servos provide above-average power to
robots.
“This system enables students to
experiment and build robots on a real-world scale,” Uttley said. “They are
working with structural elements like those they would use if they were a
robotics engineer.”
Students
can operate a TETRIX robot by remote control or they can add other electronics
to create an autonomous robot. The TETRIX Base Set comes with 600 parts,
including structural pieces, servos, motors, wheels, and hardware. The included
user’s guide covers building robot subcomponents, leaving students’ imagination
to discover how to reconfigure and combine these into their own unique robot
design.
And in January 2009, robot
builders can use the unique TETRIX hole pattern to attach the LEGO® MINDSTORMS®
NXT Intelligent Brick, sensors, and any other LEGO® Technic element
to the TETRIX system via a custom connector.
Learn more about TETRIX or call 800-835-0686. Learn more about the FIRST Tech Challenge.
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Note to media: Visit the Pitsco Web site or contact Communications Manager Tom Farmer. High-resolution images
of the TETRIXTM Robotic Design System are available upon request.