4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

So, my question pertains to 4.3.4.1.

If I just tape a laser pointer to my bot that only turns on when I press the button on it is that legal?

Thanks,
- Erik

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

Just don't use it at Portland when I'm sitting in the stands, OK? :ahh:

P.S. If it's not against the rules it should be...

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

Refer to the Parts Use Flowchart on page 14 of section 5 to determine if it is legal.

I would say no, citing the first question the flowchart asks:

"Is the part a safety hazard or likely to damage robots, the field, or interfere with the humans or the controls?" --> YES --> No!! It may not be used.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

If I understand its purpose correctly: to determine where your cannon is aimed. I don't understand why you don't tape it on and remove it when it is needed. Regardless of whether or not a robot accidentally turns it on, you might break it.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

The section that you are pointing to has nothing to do with laser pointers. In the past, laser pointer were deemed harmful additions, in that you cannot control where the beam is being directed and might cause vision loss in a competitor or observer. If you follow the flow chart in section 5, Robot Rules, "Is the part a safety hazard or likely to damage robots, the field, or interfere with the humans or the controls?", answer yes and the part may not be used.

Essentially this comes from the following in section 5,
<R31> No devices or decorations are permitted on the robot that are intended to jam or interfere with the
operation of the vision system (i.e. changing robot color to confuse opponent’s vision system).
Sorry

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

Why not just fit a flashlight to an end of a pvc tube? If you have a bright enough light/ make it like orange or something it is normal non-interfering visible light...

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

if you are in fact using it to aim, one could plausibly have the robot do some math for you using the angle that the CMU cam is at (my team programmer says that it does that this year) and do some trig using the height of the target the CMUcam follows and how far your robot shoots to have the robot light up a fire at will light on your control area. Or, even better, you could have a robot that fires at will when a shitch is flipped once it checks that it is within the correct angle ranges for the ball to go in. (again, the angles (verticle and horizontal) are returned to you by the CMUcam)

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

I don't know about you, but if someone's flashing a flashlight in my eyes, I'd get kind of distracted.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

I should have been clearer for the purpose. First of all it would be mounted about 2in above the ground. It would never be on during the operation of the robot. The point of it is to aim the robot PRIOR to atonomous. Their is no safety hazard as it is pointed so low, just on the field to align the bot prior to driving.

So I pose it again, anything illegal?

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

If you consider the laser part of the robot it would not pass the acceptable parts flow chart because it is a safety concern. If you say it's not part of the robot than it would violate G11: it would be an alignment device. Therefore, although the laser is not explicitly banned, your robot might be arbitrarily moved by the head referee. Doing something that violates a rule with the hope that you won't get caught violates gracious professionalism.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

Actually, the laser qualifies as a MECHANISM. One of the PARTs in that mechanism is the laser battery. This battery is not allowed, because it is an energy source.


It's all in the manual, pretty clearly.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

Not to mention the fact you can't "tape it to the robot" like you say, without violating <R33>.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

Agreed.

If you were to power this mechanism through the robot battery, then what?

Matt

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

If you were to include the laser pointer as a part of the robot with its internal battery it would violate <R02> and <R51>.
I don't think you can answer Yes to this question.
I would say mounting a laser pointing away from your robot would be considered unsafe.
I would say that if the light source was safe, and didn't effect the vision targeting system than it would be considered a custom circuit and could be connected with respect to <R58>.

Re: 4.3.4.1 - onboard laser?
 

One should note that there is such thing as an "eye safe" laser, which transmits at a frequency that doesn't harm the eyes because it is absorbed by the cornea rather than being focused on the retina. As long as such a device is used in good faith (you know, as in it isn't green and it isn't shone on the other drivers), none of Mike's above cited rules appear to be violated.