Hey everyone,
I’m currently working on my final attempt at building a Line Following Robot for the Robocup Junior Rescue Line Competition.
I’ve been competing since I was 11 at my first local competition in New Zealand. Recently, my teammate and I went to Brazil for the 2025 World’s competition. We placed 5th on the field and 6th overall. Although the result wasn’t what we hoped for, it gave me one more shot at the title next year before I graduate high school.
So I’ve redesigned the bot completely, and upon reflecting on this years performance I made some major hardware changes. Specifically, I replaced the drive servos with Pololu Micro Metal motors. So I also I got motor drivers that worked with the DC motors. I also got some much more reliable 5A voltage regulators from Pololu, instead of relying on Mini560’s from AliExpress. Alongside many other additions to hardware (Raspberry Pi’s newest camera with a built in AI accelerator, a bigger battery, etc.).
As of right now, I haven’t been able to 3D print the design, buy new components, and put everything together because of prelims and my family recently moving house. At this point I would really appreciate any questions, feedback, or thoughts . Me and Fred made a video explaining our 2025 bot if anyone is interested or wants a bit more clarity on what we are trying to do in this competition.
Since Pololu components have been a huge help in this remake, I was also wondering if Pololu offers support or sponsorships for student teams. Even small support would go a long way as I prepare for my final Robocup season.