pic: Light Up Bumpers

[MrBydlon]

[cdm-description=photo]39502[/cdm-description]

[SenorZ]

R27 says bumpers must be rugged and smooth, and display as red or blue for alliances... doesn't say they can't be TRANSPARENT red or blue!

Enter the era of disco bumpers.

[Chief Hedgehog]

Love the bumpers - nice job Alec! Are you guys heading to a pre-regional?

[cadandcookies]

Wishing we hadn't built our bunpers already right know...

I assume you're making an extra set in case we get another bumper-related GDC ruling?

I really hope I get a chance to see these at competition.

[ehochstein]

Wishing we hadn't built our bunpers already right know...

I assume you're making an extra set in case we get another bumper-related GDC ruling?

I really hope I get a chance to see these at competition.

I'm sure you'll see them at our week 0 event!

[Ginger Power]

That is awesome! Too bad we probably can't go pick some of those up right now due to the fact that it's -20 but those would make great show bumpers!

[cadandcookies]

I'm sure you'll see them at our week 0 event!

And I momentarily forgot about that...

I love that this right now seems totally within the bumper rules in a year where bumper rules have been more contentious than ever.

[ehochstein]

Love the bumpers - nice job Alec! Are you guys heading to a pre-regional?

We would love for you guys to visit the Blue Blazin' RoboBlitz Week 0 event in Bloomington on Sunday next week! I know 3313 has already signed up for this event but they may be going to one on Saturday as well.

[MrBydlon]

I love the MN #FriendsWithRobots conversation going on in here.

We are going to the Bloomington Week Zero Event. Sorry I forget the official name, I literally can't remember what I ate for lunch so it's normal.

Anyway, we're only going to the Bloomington one. Our planning for a weekend of Week Zero started too late. Maybe next year!

Also, these bumpers are definitely staying on for Week Zero. We'll make the fabric covers but we're leaving them off until after that weekend.

[GaryVoshol]

I love that this right now seems totally within the bumper rules ...
Except for the tape holding them on.

https://frc-qa.usfirst.org/Question/219/is-it-legal-for-teams-to-use-tape-shrink-wrap-or-other-soft-material-to-secure-the-pool-noodles-to-the-wood-underneath-the-bumper-fabric-in-previous-years-teams-have-had-issues-with-pool-noodles-th

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Jeremy,
Please tell me you have an competition set without the lights. While they are really cool and would make an interesting demo or parade robot, they don't quite seem to meet the bumper rules.

[notmattlythgoe]

Jeremy,
Please tell me you have an competition set without the lights. While they are really cool and would make an interesting demo or parade robot, they don't quite seem to meet the bumper rules.

Just curious, other than the gaps in the corners and the tape on the foam, what would be illegal about them?

[Ghost_Pack]

Has anyone asked Q and A if transparent bumpers (using LEDs like this to indicate alliance color) would be considered legal?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

The construction rules for bumpers are pretty specific. You can have solid pool noodles but you can't put something into the hollow pool noodles.

[Jon Stratis]

I'm with Al on this one... the bumpers are really cool, and I highly recommend you keep them for demo purposes. However, I do not believe the intent or wording of the rules, or the bumper cross section provided in figure 4-8 allows for electronics (wires, LED's) to be present in the bumpers. I also doubt their ability to withstand rigorous game play without breaking.

Unless you get an alternate ruling from the GDC through the Q&A, please use normal noodles. See you guys at LSR!

[notmattlythgoe]

The construction rules for bumpers are pretty specific. You can have solid pool noodles but you can't put something into the hollow pool noodles.

I figured it was something along those lines.

[!Alp!]

if you could get this to light up red and blue, with red and blue transparent bumpers, this would be the coolest thing

[Foster]

I'm with Al, follow the rules. But the rules don't say that you can't have a third pair. With a quick change you can rock those LED bumpers everywhere else!!

Nice design an implementation

[yash101]

Programmatically change bumper colors :D. Maybe even use this to trick other robots :D

[MrBydlon]

Thanks for all the comments everyone!

We did make actual bumpers with the correct pool noodle lengths and no wires in them.

We will use the light up bumpers for demonstrations and stuff like that.

Maybe in the future, LED bumpers will be allowed? We hope so.

[Joe Ross]

The construction rules for bumpers are pretty specific. You can have solid pool noodles but you can't put something into the hollow pool noodles.

What if they didn't put anything into the pool noodles?

[mc153]

Very nice. I wish we had thought of that. Sure to be popular at any competition.

[Whippet]

Would LEDs used as part of the attachment system be legal? :rolleyes:

[EricH]

What if they didn't put anything into the pool noodles?

That's what I was wondering--they did say that they purchased them with the LEDs inside.

[cadandcookies]

That's what I was wondering--they did say that they purchased them with the LEDs inside.

This sounds an awful lot like a Q&A question...