Electrically Powered "Manual Mode"

[JellyMan]

We would like to be able to control our robotic arm and gripper using some manually operated electrical switches completely separate from the wireless controls. This would allow us to release the gripper and retract the arm after a match when the robot wireless controls are powered down.
I could not find any prohibition of this in the rules. Is this allowable?
The "manual mode" controls would still be locked out by the main breaker.

[BrandonG]

From what I remember last year, you are forbidden from powering up your robot after a match while it is still on the field. That and I believe you are supposed to be able to safely move it post match without having power. Im not near a rulebook atm, so if someone could please double check for me that would be great.

[rutzman]

From what I remember last year, you are forbidden from powering up your robot after a match while it is still on the field. That and I believe you are supposed to be able to safely move it post match without having power. Im not near a rulebook atm, so if someone could please double check for me that would be great.

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=16748

[Matt Krass]

This would be illegal as per the following rules:


<R17> Field power to the ROBOTS will not be re-enabled after a MATCH. ROBOTS must be designed to permit removal of GAME PIECES from the ROBOT, and removal of the ROBOT from other FIELD elements and/or other ROBOTS without requiring activation of the ROBOT power system.

<R48> All electrical loads (motors, actuators, compressors) must be supplied by an approved power regulating device (speed controller, relay module, or Digital Sidecar PWM port) that is controlled by the cRIO-FRC on the ROBOT.

<R49> ROBOTS must be controlled via the programmable National Instruments cRIO-FRC (National Instruments part number 780406-01). Other controllers shall not be used


Sorry, you'll definitely need to rethink that idea.

[JellyMan]

Thanks for the feedback.
We recognized <R17> but felt that it is a bit vague or misleading. Is "field power" defined? We assumed that field power might refer only to the wireless controls, but the wireless controls would not be needed for manual control of a lifting device.
The manual mode is not a necessity, but without it, I think that many teams will be trying to move robots off the field in some rather awkward configurations. It may be safer to allow teams to place the robots back in the STARTING CONFIGURATION before leaving the field.

[Matt Krass]

Thanks for the feedback.
We recognized <R17> but felt that it is a bit vague or misleading. Is "field power" defined? We assumed that field power might refer only to the wireless controls, but the wireless controls would not be needed for manual control of a lifting device.
The manual mode is not a necessity, but without it, I think that many teams will be trying to move robots off the field in some rather awkward configurations. It may be safer to allow teams to place the robots back in the STARTING CONFIGURATION before leaving the field.

We used to be able to power up robots post-match for reconfiguration prior to removal. This proved very... very bad for scheduling and safety.

Also, while field power may be vague, ROBOT power system is pretty straightforward, also the other rules are also in direct conflict, sorry.

Matt