Hey Vex Forum Users,
So for the upcoming season, the idea of picking up sacks is very complex. Compared to this year, where the objects were rather large, these sacks are smaller.
Does anyone have any ideas on the ideal intaker? What do you think is going to be a good design?
It’s very, very, very, very, very early in the season. 
You’ve got plenty of time to experiment. Why don’t you grab some VEX parts and try out a few ideas?
-John
Ideal intake would be a sack sucker (intakes multiple at a time) and would be low to the ground because of the sack’s height.
Fast Drive powered by six motors
Fast Arm
Good Design: Bigger hopper “NZ” design
This is either one seriously intelligent spam bot. Or you just brought up something that has no relevence.
I am suspicous.
As for intakes. I am working on some stuff, but I have to get my hands on a lathe first. Ultra tiny. And might change the way some things are done in VEX, who knows!
We use board games and kitchen items for inspiration.
I think we’re going to see a lot more claws this year, because they should be able to grapple the sacks easily.
As much as people talk about the next big design, I imagine it’ll be like most years and you’ll see a lot of familiar designs. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the same roller intake with ramp holder that was popular in both clean sweep and gateway.
I think the big challenge this year is going to be getting to that 30in goal with a robot that is 3 inches shorter
A scissor lift is perfectly fine for this venture. They have already been used in VEX for some years and are nothing new. Plus, this year, I can see no downside to the scissor (in gateway, the distance the six-bar would gain from the robot as it lifted to 20" was crucial for scoring in the opposing 20" goal).
Also, there is no requirement for your robot to be under 15". However, it’s safe to assume that everyone will wish for their robot to go under the troughs.
The trick is going to be grabbing the objects without getting stuck on the foam field tiles. Because the sacks are so close to the floor (and each other), intake mechanisms will have to be designed carefully so that they don’t jam.
I agree. I think VEX made this game with beanbags so that the new classroom-kit claw bot could compete as-is with it’s default end-effector (a claw). Most older VEX game objects (Balls and Barrels from VEX Gateway especially) would be difficult to pick up with a claw or a roller arm (like the one the proto-bot has).
I should like to contest that theory. Many of the most important methods of transportation were developed from observing animals (e.g. Submarines, airplanes, etc., etc. ).
Second: It is several months to the first competitions in most areas. Why don’t you actually make a robot (and intake) for yourself. Thats what engineering is. Maybe in January 2013 we can have this discussion.
Honestly, work on VEX Sack Attack was completed long before the VEX Clawbot was even begun.
The GDC adds “plow in” goals to ensure that there is always some option for teams to score, even if they only have a functioning drive base.
Believe it or not…
The ability of the Clawbot (or Protobot) to score in the medium challenge / high challenge goals was not taken into consideration in either the Clawbot’s design, or the design of VEX Sack Attack.
-John
Prove it by posting better content, stated more clearly.
Also, avoid using your password as your username.
ref http://xkcd.com/936/
So how many hacked up fields do you think we’ll be driving on by the end of the season with plows/scoops/scrapers/hungry hippos gone awry?
We already have a few divots from a few years of abuse. This game just screams for a lot of grinding into the foam when trying something new out or maybe just crashing into a wall-bot. I foresee abuse from trying to get under the sack so it lifts oh so nicely on the conveyor/shovel scoop means getting real close to the floor.
So this seems like a good place to start a shovel scoop based design - Green Eggs robot from three seasons ago 
Would a piece of Lexan do pretty much the same thing as the Green Egg Robot?
I think I have thought of a pretty good way to pick up the sacks, but I will see for sure when we buy them. I would tell you, but what would be the fun if everyone started using it? I at least want to take it to a competition before it begins to be duplicated.
you will get the inspire award
lol
that sounds pretty fun 
I think that a shovel will work the best because of the awkwardness of using rollers on sacks and the slowness of claws.
Our robot in clean sweep had a very fast shovel arm thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZxKko8x9Qg (with the white mesh)
(I think this is the only time we ever beat 254A, even if it was because 1000B fell over and 254A malfunctioned)
I hadn’t seen 44’s Clean Sweep robot before, but clearly that design worked.
Slipping under objects does not automatically mean field damage. If people do it right, then they won’t damage the tiles. If they don’t to it right, then their robot would have “mechanisms that could cause damage to field elements” and should be illegal.
We used a forklift to slip under objects in Round-Up, and it never damaged field tiles. However, it did once get caught up in some peeling white field tape…
We’ve thought of an intake designed like a vacuum so far.
There have been a few others but they aren’t from members of my team.
I still think clawbot because of one important thing… DESCORING!
Scoopers and other intakes cannot descore but claws can. What other ways can you descore?