Using 2 cRios to issue commands

[ferret_guy]

are there any rules agense using 2 cRios to issue commands?

[Mark McLeod]

One and one only.
I doubt that rule is likely to change for 2013.


[R52]
Robots must be controlled via one programmable National Instruments cRIO (part # cRIO-FRC or cRIO-FRCII),
with image version FRC_2012_v43. Other controllers shall not be used.

[ebarker]

why do you need 2 cRios ?

[EricH]

I should probably warn you that in about two weeks, that sort of question will result in a "You should really, really, read the Game Manual". But, seeing as I don't know what the 2013 Manual will have to say, I'll refer to the 2012 Game Manual, Section 4.1.9, which has all the 2012 rules on the control system.

[R52] specifies one programmable NI cRIO to control the robot (along with firmware revision), and that other controllers shall not be used.
The blue box for [R65] explains that per [R52], the robot must be controlled by the cRIO; other devices (custom circuits) must go through the cRIO to originate command signals.

[apples000]

I'm pretty sure that all your motors must be controlled by one cRIO, but I think that you might be able to have another cRIO that just has power/network, although I can't think of a situation when this is necessary. If you need extra processing power, you could just use the driver station laptop. Even the classmate laptop is many times more powerful than the cRIO.

[Jeff Pahl]

Insert standard disclaimer regarding past and future rules here.....

We (the Lead Inspectors) were asked this question last year at Championship, and after a little research and discussion this is what we came up with:

All commands to motors, pneumatics, etc, have had to come from a single cRIO in past years. It is legal to have a second cRIO on the robot for other purposes, the one that has come up a few times is teams wanting to use it for vision processing. A 4 slot chassis is able to be purchased by all teams (without modules) for less than the $400 limit, making it a legal COTS computing device for use on the robot.

[ferret_guy]

Ahh thank you all I was thinking of having them issue commands and red the rule you mentioned the word ONE kind of slipped by :eek: