Blind Navigation
 

This is a difficult task to accomplish. The teams (the Academics Anonymous and the Hammerlocks) must navigate a "maze" in a vehicle that has the windows blacked out. The first team to navigate their way from the start to a large X painted in the roadway at the other end of the maze wins. Should neither team make it to the X, the winner is determined by which team is closest. Before the contest, they will be given a chance to test their skills by driving at an X 30 meters away from them....in the opposite direction.

The Academics Anonymous are going to build a South Pointing Chariot. By way of two gear boxes that work together they will have a system that will continually point south no matter which way they are facing. This is extremely tricky to build involving lots of maths and very technical work. Time will not be working with them which is what could prevent this idea from working.

The Hammerlocks are going with a gyro-compass. By getting a bicycle wheel to spin rapidly they will always know which direction is "straight ahead". The trick is mounting the wpinning wheel inside of two frames that will allow it to rotate horizontally and vertically. Keeping the wheel spinning constantly will be crucial, otherwise it will stop spinning and they won't know where to go.
 
 
 
Academics Anonymous
Bryan, Lamo & Captain Paul
inset; TC Graham Barguss
Hammerlocks
Vigilante, Captain Majik & Psycho
inset; TC Steve Pizzy
 
 
The Hammerlocks' gyro compass
The Academics' originally went for a
'South Pointing Chariot'...
 
 
But ended up with a giant turntable
under their van
The Hammerlocks want to use this
old ambulance
 
 
The Academics are using a mini-bus
weighing in at 2 tons
The Hammerlocks hope this chain
will give their wheel more momentum
 
 
The turntable base gets constructed
Retired Colonel, now Expert,
Dick Strawbridge
 
 
This piddly wheel won't do
The turntable gets rolled under the bus
 
 
Their gyro has problems so they're
investigating using a pendulum...
...or possibly a radio by turning it and
listening for the change in pitch...
 
 
...but they've also built feelers
just in case
This anchor will help them navigate by
measuring off 10m lengths
 
 
The Academics are using a chime bar
that clangs with the wheel has made
one complete revolution

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