Vex in FRC?
 

This is an odd question, but are Vex/Lego parts allowed on FRC robots? (As long as they satisfy the cost limit, etc.)

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

sure are:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img...e31f86e9_l.jpg

those are Vex standoffs in the bottom part of our gripper

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

motors and microcontrollers are not allowed, however. As far as I know, vex and lego sensors are allowed as long as you can interface them with the RC.

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

Team 1983 used both VEX standoffs and a light sensor this year, though the sensor was never actually used. A good idea in our rookie year I thought though. Maybe next year.

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

You are correct in that the motors are not FRC-legal, however the controller would be allowed if used as a co-processor, as it's a COTS item with a retail value of less than $400. Any and all outputs from the Vex controller then must be wired into the main robot controller, as the Vex controller cannot control any Spike or Victor speed controllers.

Basically, the Vex Controller would only be able to process sensor inputs, to take some processing load off the main RC, and then send the final processed data to the RC.

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

I saw a bot or two this year that used Vex wheels as rollers for tube-grabbing mechanisms.

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

We used a Vex wheel for our grabber.

Re: Vex in FRC?
 

I know that when I was working with 1390 the night before ship and we had all sorts of problems with their arm extension we were able to very quickly mount a Vex encoder and some other light sensors to get feedback. In the final code we allowed the driver to make the final decision, but Vex sensors enable you to have the ability to have more feedback then the majority of teams in a very short window of time (in that case 1 person working on a mount for them, and myself working on other things and coding it up in EasyC in about 5 minutes provided a complete control interface for their multi-stage elevator and ramp deployment system, quite amazing how quickly you can work with them).

To avoid the "slicing and dicing" of the sensor cables I would highly recommend going to a local hobby shop and finding some female-to-female PWM cables which enable you to quickly, without modification, connect those sensors to your FRC controller. Some electrical tape and you are good to go. Plus, the cost you can find some of those sensors is better than the sensor themselves from other places and you get the nice plastic housings which are actually really nice to work with on an FRC bot.