Unit 7: SeaPerch Challange

Degrees of Freedom: How the ROV moves along the $X, Y,$ and $Z$ axes and rotates (Pitch, Yaw, Roll).Tether Management: The physics of "cable drag" and how the weight and tension of the umbilical cord can pull the ROV off-course.
Parallax and Depth Perception: How water refracts light, making objects appear closer or shifted when viewed from the surface or through a camera.
Iterative Troubleshooting: Identifying if a failure to pass a hoop is a "Pilot Error" or a "Mechanical Flaw" (e.g., the ROV keeps veering left because a motor is misaligned).

The "Slalom" Practice: Navigate the ROV through a straight line of vertical hoops to practice "Surge" (forward) and "Yaw" (turning) control.

Surface-to-Floor Transitions: Practice "Heave" (vertical movement) by diving from a surface hoop down to a floor-mounted hoop without tangling the tether.

Co-Piloting: Work in pairs where one student is the "Pilot" (hands on controller) and the other is the "Tether Master" (managing the cable to prevent snags).

Speed vs. Precision Drills: Perform timed runs to find the "sweet spot" where the ROV is fast enough to compete but stable enough to stay on course.

• The Grand Prix Challenge: A final, timed obstacle course consisting of at least five hoops: two at the surface, two on the bottom, and one "technical" hoop (angled or narrow).

• Success Criteria: 1. Course Completion: Successfully passing through all hoops in the correct sequence. 2. Tether Integrity: Completing the course without the tether becoming entangled in the ROV or the hoops. 3. The "Pilot’s Log": A written reflection where students analyze their fastest lap and identify one specific mechanical change they would make to the frame or motors to improve their time by 10%.