ReBoot was first conceived in December of 2023, as the semester ended and my friends prepared for Arizona Robotic Combat's latest competition. The first kernel of a concept for this robot that entered my head was the boot-shaped shuffler feet, and, not knowing much about shuffle mechanisms at the time, I sketched out this first thought in the Notes app on my phone:
I also sketched out a concept for the rest of the robot: a disc vertical spinner, inspired by the likes of Synthesis and Ripperoni:
Most of my knowledge of shuffle mechanisms for this first iteration came from this video, where the builder of Pitter Patter, a featherweight shuffler, breaks down how their shuffler mechanism works:
I designed ReBoot version 1 over winter break, and planned to debut it at the SunDevil Smackdown hosted by Combat Ready Robotics on January 20th, 2024. I 3D-printed the parts, learned how to use the ShopBot CNC Router to make the uprights and bottom plate, and ordered flat metal parts from SendCutSend. However, this was the first beetleweight robot I'd designed on my own, and the design had several places where it needed to be refined. The boots were made of bare UHMW, which would have no traction; the CAM-shaft was a long number-six bolt; the chassis was a nightmare to assemble. On the day of the Smackdown, I spent most of the day trying to get the robot together, then ultimately gave up so I could have fun spectating the last couple matches. I left Smackdown with a long list of things to improve and work on: