Zero impact vehicle that needs to travel 9 through 12 m

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Physicsdood99
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Homework Statement


the vehicle needs to stop as close to a wall that is located anywhere from 9 to 12 m away. (The distance is not given exactly) The vehicle must be self propelled and has other specifications located here http://www.njaapt.org/PhysicsOlympics/2011-2012/EVENT%205%20-%20Zero%20Impact%20Vehicle.pdf . There can be no electrical components or chemical/ nuclear.



Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


rubber bands, spring weights, pulleys, mechanical launcher, mouse trap
 
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Physicsdood99 said:

Homework Statement


the vehicle needs to stop as close to a wall that is located anywhere from 9 to 12 m away. (The distance is not given exactly) The vehicle must be self propelled and has other specifications located here http://www.njaapt.org/PhysicsOlympics/2011-2012/EVENT%205%20-%20Zero%20Impact%20Vehicle.pdf . There can be no electrical components or chemical/ nuclear.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


rubber bands, spring weights, pulleys, mechanical launcher, mouse trap
My suggestion would be to use a gear mechanism driven by a spring. Set it up so that when the gear stops the wheels stop immediately. Then all you have to do is calibrate the gear-wheel ratio and configure it so that when the wheels have turned 8000/2∏r times (where r is the radius of the wheels in mm.) the gear stops and the wheels stop. Just a suggestion.

AM
 
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I assume this bit is a modification of the rules given in the pdf to make it harder...

the vehicle needs to stop as close to a wall that is located anywhere from 9 to 12 m away. (The distance is not given exactly)

That means some way of sensing the wall is required.

Not sure how to implement it but... what about bouncing an air jet off the wall so it operates a trigger stopping the wheels. I'm thinking something like a small hover craft turned on it's side mounted on an arm in front of the vehicle. As it approaches the wall it hovers say 5mm from the wall. The vehicle keeps moving until the angle of the arm trips the brake. Final score 5mm, perhaps less :-)
 
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Is there a time limit? If so you may need to go fast for say 8.5m and then really slowly until the wall is detected.
 
CWatters said:
I assume this bit is a modification of the rules given in the pdf to make it harder...

That means some way of sensing the wall is required.
Perhaps the OP can clarify this. When you start the car do you know how far the wall is? If you will know this, then all you have to do is have a calibrating mechanism so you can set it for different stopping distances.

AM