Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Who's pumped for this event? 190's wicked excited to be coming back!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I AM! 115 will totally be there...like usual :ahh: looking forward to seeing all the new teams there! ;) 12 more weeks to go!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

As always, Paly Robotics will be there. It will be great to see what 190 will have in store again, you guys always build amazing robots.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

We'll be there.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Team 100 is coming. This will be our second regional for 2008, so we should have more practice.

Good Luck everyone!:]

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

team 973 will be there.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Team 1351's there and ready for action!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

The men/women in white coats should be there in full force, as always. We've got a few design tricks up our sleeve that should bring us up a level in competition. :cool:

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Sacred Heart RADBotics: Team 2144 will be there! And from the list of teams already, it looks like we'll be competing with the best of the best. Can't wait!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Team 2473 will be there. Less than 3 months left. Can't wait. :)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

675 will be there.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

114 with more tricks up your sleeve, huh? It was inspiring to have personally witnessed your team's action last year@ SVR when we were stationed right next to you in the pits. (We were a bit in awe since we were rookies too :p ) I look forward to seeing your team in action again this year; 2135 will definitely be attending SVR.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

604 will be there

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

1458 is signed up and coming back to SV this year

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

1458 is pumped for SV as our first regional. I always love that San Jose weather!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

This will be, for yet another year, 840's only regional... Davis didn't work out :(
See all you guys there!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

692 is extremely excited to be coming back!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Well, 766 will be there, SVR and Davis as usual. Anyone else from SVR going to Davis as well? I know the two are back-to-back this year and that discouraged a lot of Bay Area teams from doing both.

It just wouldn't be the competition season without SJSU's convoluted parking garage and La Victoria Taqueria downtown :D

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Just a heads up; Team 973's safety captain is an avid scrapper and recycler. I have never seen a kid or adult work as hard as this kid in anything. So, if you have any cans, bottles, aluminum scrap, etc... Feel free to offer it to him in 973's pit.

He is a little special, and also loves change. He actually has learned that he can get people to throw change to get him to go away by trying to be annoying. So, if you'd like to get him out of your hair, and donate some money to 973, throw a quarter (He won't go for anything less).

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

He's very into FIRST and into safety... I've had people come over to me and ask why our safety captain poked them in the eye... Thats what he does to people not wearing safety glasses. Apologies in advance if that happens to your team.

But yes, he will chase change. If he's starting to bug you go ahead and throw something... We are very aware of how he can get, especially at regionals when he's really excited.

Don't take this as a, mess with the special kid on 973 kind of thing... If you meet Jared you will understand that he is an asset to the team, he just takes some interesting handling. PM me if you have any questions about this.

You also might want to keep an eye on your safety tokens... I won't air that particular bit of dirty laundry in a post... if you want to know PM me about that as well...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Yes, 692 is also going to Davis, as usual!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

253 is always there! Even though my body is 3000+ miles way my spirit will be there with MRT Team 253!

MRT 253 = Gracious professionalism! Hope you all go say hello to my fellow comrades. Tell them Joseph said hi!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Yessss!!!! we definitely are!!
only 17 days, 10 hours, and 11 minutes until SVR !!!!!! :yikes:

can't wait to be there, but lots to do beforehand

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

We are joking here, right?
Poking someone in the eye, regardless of the good cause being
pursued, would not be acceptable.

Eugene

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

We are aware it is not acceptable.

He is a special kid and doesn't quite grasp all the social rules. He is good natured at heart, and is honestly at least twice as hard working as any person I have ever met. Because of that, he's my favorite kid on the team.

So, if it does happen to you; I apologize, just calm talk with me and we'll try to keep it from happening again.

But hey, my first introduction to 973 was him poking me in the eye, so, maybe it's not all bad.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Vanderway sometimes does that to people, doesnt actually hit them in the eye, but just enough so that the person flinches and puts on glasses.

Good luck to all teams in SVR, 599 wont be there but wishes everyone the best of luck.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Suppose one of these "eye poking" incidents "accidentally"
causes eye injury. What would be your plan then?

Eugene

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I'm excited to see the whole competition in general. I've never been to a different regional besides the Colorado Regional, so I'm defiantly excited for the new atmosphere, and volunteering for the event is going to be fun.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Your profile has you listed as both an engineer and a Dr.
So, I would really assume you are more mature than your latest post is revealing.

I don't know the word for it as his parents haven't told me, but he is very "special". His view of the world is far different than ours. So, cut him some slack.

What are you suggesting? Keep him from attending? Put him on a leash?

In case your wondering, my plan if that happened would be to apologize to the victim and do my best to explain the circumstances; can't really do any better than that.

Adam

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

To an extent, he can't tell right from wrong. Things that may seem simple to you it takes him a while to understand. He's "special." He is however, a hard worker and once you teach him something he can continue to do it, he knows more about machining then I do by a long stretch.

At competition everyone on the team knows to watch him and make sure he doesn't do something that normal society doesn't find acceptable, like poking people in the eyes. However, it only takes a couple seconds for something to happen and we can't be everywhere at once.

Every year I have seen him get better, and part of that is because of FIRST. Would you deny him the opportunity to learn in this great program just because he has a slight "defect" ? The fact that FIRST has helped him should say more about the nature of FIRST then anything.

So yes, he is allowed just like any other student to come to the regionals and participate like any other member of the team, and while we may have to put a little more effort into dealings between him and other teams, the benefit that he gets from FIRST is worth it. Maybe someday someone else with his disability will see that he's accepted and join a FIRST team. I only hope they get the same benefit from it that he does.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Lucy,
It speaks volumes that teenagers on your team are working with your safety captain and helping him and each other develop as supportive and involved team mates, learning skills along the way.

In this society, tolerance and kindness are often lost in our day to day interactions - be they on the job or in school.

I understand Eugene's concern regarding the eye poking. It is a valid concern and it sounds like you are all aware of that as well. Continue to work with him regarding the safety aspects and responsibilities as your safety captain and with the team.

I'm sure your safety captain finds ways to show his appreciation for his team, working with his peers and mentors, and for FIRST.

Good luck this season 973 and everyone!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I suppose that my concern about someone's eyes being poked, with the potential for serious injury that could result, could be interpreted as lack of sensitivity on my part, but certainly not a lack of maturity.

I take eye safety very seriously. Faux poking can result in serious eye injury, an injury that we seek to avoid by requiring safety glasses in the pits and on the competition field.

One could take the view that a person who is not wearing safety glasses deserves to get his/her eyes injured, I do not. Anyone failing to wear the safety glasses deserves to be notified of the infraction and should be ejected from the pit if they fail to wear the safety glasses repeatedly. Getting poked in the eyes, for any reason, or by any person, is not acceptable and all required means should be used to prevent it.

If the person doing the poking is disabled, and therefore not responsible for their actions, I can understand that. If serious injury occurs, the responsible party may find that an apology is not sufficient, with the injured party seeking legal remedy. We can only hope that we remain lucky, and a serious injury does not occur.

I concur with Jane, every safe means should be offered to engage disabled people in our activity. I applaud this, but I do put the emphasis on the word safe.

Eugene

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

2090 "BuffnBlue" from Honolulu are stoked and ready to go. See you there!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

As long as your safety captain knows how not to cause injury, and I assume he does, I don't see an issue here. Besides, I would much rather be poked in the eye, even if it hurt a little bit, then be hit in the eye with a piece of flying shrapnel.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

To return to the original topic of this thread, Team 1280 will be
at the Silicon Valley regional. We have been using our fix-it
windows since Portland to tune up our software. There were a
few sensors on our robot in Portland that we were not using.
They will all be on line at Silicon Valley and we will be adding
one looking out the front. We will be throwing it into overdrive.

We will have the capability to reload the software into the IR
board in our pit, both for IR boards connected to 12 volts and
IR boards converted to 5 volt power by pulling the regulator and
soldering the bypass in. If yours gets corrupted drop by with it
and we can try to reload the software to get it going again.

Only a couple of days to go now, see you there!

Have fun,
Eugene

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

W00t W00t! Two More DAYS!!!

We've increased our claw's speed, and improved our IR board and remote so we can actually run our hybrid modes.

GL everyone!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Indeed. We can't wait.

We used the fix-its to revamp our hybrid code, create a new button-board for our OI, and get some spare parts. We're ready for some Overdrive!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

2024 is ready to head out...tomorrow actually. We've been ready since kickoff!!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

It's almost time!(41 hours til pits open!!:yikes:) We can't wait to take that 10-15 minute drive into downtown San Jose on Thursday morning and finally get El Toro XI into Overdrive!:D

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Man, I can't wait to set my alarm at 6:00... for 3 straight days! :yikes: There's something wrong with me...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Will SVR be webcast?
Thanks.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Anyone know if sundial will be up? If so, is it just times or will it have standings as well?

Also, 973 will need some 10x24.5 Steel plate of varying thicknesses, if you have that, please stop by 973's Pit.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

We won't be down running sundial in SVR like in SD, but will be in LA and Hawaii. I'm not sure if anyone else is planning on running it at SVR.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

SVR is on the list of events to be webcasted

Here is the list of regionals that were and will be webcasted(subject to change)
http://robotics.arc.nasa.gov/events/...s.php#webcasts

Edit: Oh, and regretfully, 115 does not have steel plates in stock. If no one can get you any, our suggestion would be to put wheels on a shaft if you have space(we did this in 2006).

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Okay, got a student working on it. We'll do our best to get sundial running for SVR.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

AKA: He dumped it on me.... :rolleyes:

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I'm cheering for you Palo Alto!
GO TEAM 8!!! :D

:)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

254 is looking for any of the IGUS cable chain that was in the 2007 KOP (1"x0.5"). We mistakenly bought some that was much bigger, and the 2008 KOP contains smaller.

If any teams attending SVR are willing to part with their unused cable chain, that'd be great. We also have plenty of other unused KOP items we can trade with.

Thanks,

-Cory

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Team 8 is looking for spare KoP globe motors, PM me or find me tomorrow in the pits if you have them and are looking to trade for something... we can get you lots of stuff next day at least.
Thanks!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I'm not sure if we still have ours, but if we do I will make sure our team brings it.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Thanks :)

Sorry Cory, I believe our 2007 KoP chain broke somehow. We might have some in different sizes that we ordered this year - I'll see if I can find any of those tomorrow, and if I can, I'll bring them with us.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

WOW, nasty ground loop hum in the audio feed fron SVR!!!
Any chance someone can get this info to the broadcast crew?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Yeah, pretty bad. I just spoke with someone there who will mention it to the audio guy.

-Kevin

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I'm in a meeting and can't watch the SVR webcast (at least with the audio on <grin>). Anyway, I just got a call from my contact at the SVR and he wants to know if it sound okay now. Can somone who's watching let me know if the sound is improved?

-Kevin

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I wasn't watching before, so I can't compare, but it seems to sound okay now for me.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

The hum is gone, but the audio is a bit more "tin canny" than before/usual. High tremble/no bass.

Much better though.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Thanks. I let them know it's better.

-Kevin

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Team 973 is still fighting with Sundial. Anyone who's used it before, specifically set it up before, if you could come talk to me / PM me I would appreciate it. I've only used Sundial once before, and I've never set it up before...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

A lot of unfilled matches today! I geuss because its the first regional in the north california area its many teams first regional. I hope tomorrow we get more participants and less buggy robots. See you out there!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Is anyone else getting a not so good quality webcast? Actually, it's really bad. It's not choppy but it's not clear.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I was getting a really nice feed for a while before I came to campus, now its really small and pixelated....

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Did 190 just do what I think they did?!? If they get that thing working consistently... wow.

(for those of you that missed it, they just did a 2 second lap+hurdle of the ball)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

A complete lap and a hurdle in 2 seconds? Is that possible? A 30 fps robot would be a blur...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

They swing the ball over the top of the barrier, leaving the base in one place.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

That's scary-clever.

I just saw a match with 190, but the video got scrambled at the key moment. So, after they swing the ball around the barrier and across the hurdle, they lower it to the ground and release it? If an opposing robot is unable to knock their Trackball away, do they just pick it up and swing it around again?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

That's correct. They have to release it before the ball hits the ground (per this Q/A: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=8151). Sometimes, the ball gets away on its own, and sometimes someone knocks the ball away. I think the most they've done is 2 hurdles in a match.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Shouldn't they get a <G22> penalty each time they do this? Their arm definitely breaks the plane the of quadrant directly clockwise to them. I think that many teams would have ruled this strategy out during brainstorming, believing it to be a rule violation.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I came to this conclusion too, they are definitely breaking the plane into the previous quadrant without ever leaving their home stretch. This should make for some interesting discussions...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I've also seem robots leaning on the overhead bars that seemed to bob back across the "plane of the line" even though the 'bot doesn't touch the floor back across the line. I definitely want to meet with the Seattle refs before the first match...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

<G22> says you get a penalty for crossing the lane marker. The diagram on page 4 of section 6 shows the lane marker as the tape and calls the barrier the lane divider. 190 never crosses the lane marker, but does cross the lane divider. <G22> also specifies that the penalty occurs when you move clockwise across the marker. 190 always moves counter-clockwise.

The GDC did leave themselves an out in the Q/A response. If 190 is successful this weekend, I wouldn't be surprised to see an update.

If the original <G36> was still in place, they would have violated that.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

So, according to the manual, the "Lane Marker" extends across the entire field, with the "Lane Divider" on top of it. So, 190 is crossing the "Lane Marker"

I see what you're saying, but this would mean that a team who enters a quadrant then makes a CCW turn and breaks the plane of the previous quadrant should not be penalized. This definitely has not been the case at the events I've attended and watched.

/edit: The key is, they moved CW in relation to the quadrant they are in. Since they never fully leave their homestretch, any motion into their opponent's non homestretch would be a motion into a quadrant clockwise to their current quadrant.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Seems like <G22> is becoming the "thorn" rule for this year's game.

Of course, Team 190 is starting in it's home zone and the arm portion of the robot is sequentially crossing lines in a counter-clockwise direction. So, Team 190's actions may not be a clear-cut violation of <G22>.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I just wanted to add that Team 100 roolz. I saw their 'bot in Oregon too. What a nice machine.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Keep in mind that the definitions of Clockwise and Counter-clockwise movement are actually different from one another:

CCW: A robot is moving counter-clockwise if it COMPLETELY crosses into the next quadrant in the counter-clockwise direction. In this case, the robot enters the next quadrant.

CW: A robot is moving clockwise if it PARTIALLY crosses into the previous quadrant in the clockwise direction. In this case, the robot enters the previous quadrant.

So, no matter what 190 does with their arm, they have not officially "Entered" any of the next quadrants until their entire robot is within the next quadrants. However, they do "Enter" the previous quadrant if any part of their robot extends into the previous quadrant. Therefore, the robot is always "in" its own quadrant until it partially crosses into the previous quadrant. At this point, it appears that their robot is officially "in" the previous quadrant.

The rule itself is pretty obscure, though, and I'd hate to see 190's strategy deemed illegal. I guess it's up to the GDC to decide...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

No penalty for 190 in their last match, but I expect a ruling on that strategy soon. Someone is going to ask if it's legal.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

For everyone who is wondering about the legality of Team 190's robot: another team (Team 2158) completely independent and several thousand miles away from Team 190 thought of the exact same strategy (a week after we did) and posted it to the FIRST Q&A in the third week of the build season.

It was deemed legal. And our robot and strategy was again deemed legal at the BAE Granite State Regional in week one.

The highlight is mine.

The entire robot never fully crosses any lane markers; only part of it does. It's exactly the same legality as partially driving your robot across a lane marker and then backing up. You won't get a penality because you never fully left the previous quadrant.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Does anyone have a picture of the team 190 robot?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Speaking of 190, congrats on the xerox creativity award! :)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

For the record, I now know how to defend 190. (Thank you GDC.)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

For the record, the Q&A in the link above was not the final ruling on 190's robot. The subsequent ruling at BAE, which brought in all Q&A rulings and Team Updates up to that point, greatly expanded the extent to which 190's scoring maneuver was considered to be hurdling (and thus protected from interference). :)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

That's what I was wondering when I read the Q&A response. You don't need to satisfy ALL the criteria of hurdling to be considered in the act of hurdling. You need only be in the homestretch and either moving towards the overpass or elevating the trackball (or both). I'd hope the intent is that you'd be protected while performing such an amazing feat. You could be nit-picky that the trackball is no longer rising upwards, and so the act of "elevating" has stopped, was that what the Q&A respondant was originally thinking?

I guess I'm still a little confused when the arm extends into the quadrant directly adjacent CW from the homestretch. Based on everything I've seen so far this year, I can't shake a G22 call there. The robot itself hasn't moved CCW into the other quadrants, regardless of the motion of the trackball. At some point, the robot is sitting there with a part of it projecting over the lane marker into the CW quadrant.

I'd like to see how this all plays out. A part of me thinks someone somewhere made a slip up one way or another. We're human. It happens. Hopefully it'll get sorted out if it isn't already.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

This whole things feels kind of wrong to me. Don't misunderstand me, I congratulate all attempts at creativity and innovation in this competition.

This however feels like another tape measure of 2002. Seriously, this design very specifically and deliberately breaks rules. It does not follow the definition of a hurdle as defined in the rule book.

If given the choice? I would have the rule book reflect the Q&A, but that has to happen from the beginning, or with an official team update. I understand teams have to check the Q&A, but that is not the easiest thing to do, and when it directly conflicts with the existing (as of now) rulebook something is wrong. It almost feels like an abuse of the GDC bombarding them with all of the questions that would allow certain designs to slip through the rules when really, it should be obvious that the design breaks the rules.

Yeah, people may say, oh your just jealous blah blah blah, but really I think these kinds of ideas crossed many peoples minds after kickoff to learn that the rules limit some of those options.

There is a part of me that admires picking a design that is on the edge. It is a very risky and tough decision, and can set you apart from the crowd and pay off in the end. This situation however does not seem quite there - I think that if people made assumptions about how the Q&A response would be interpreted (and ignored the rulebook!) then we would see a huge number of very cool, creative machines that additional freedom would have allowed. These creative advantages I feel are not in line with what the GDC I think originally intended. (Not to say they discourage creativity:))

Do other people feel the same way? I am one of the people who will advocate pushing the rules more than I think most, but the consistency of the rules, updates and Q&A has me a bit worried.

Anyway, I didn't want to be overly negative in anyway, and maybe a discussion about this belongs somewhere else... but either way, I do want to congratulate 190 for standing up for their design and have fun playing with your unique machine!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

as promised to some of you today, here are the rankings as of Friday night.

1. 100
2. 1280
3. 2024
4.192
5. 2473
6. 972
7. 670
8. 190
9. 581
10. 8
11. 2643
12. 1458
13. 766
14. 688
15. 115
16. 692
17. 846
18. 840
19. 1560
20. 1548
21. 971
22. 2141
23. 2035
24. 2629
25. 1516
26. 604
27. 675
28. 2628
29. 256
30. 1834
31. 2446
32. 2489
33. 2144
34. 973
35. 254
36. 649
37. 2090
38. 114
39. 1351
40. 2367
41. 1072
42. 253
43. 135
44. 2283
45. 1868
46. 1967
47. 2159
48. 1700

I apologize in advance for any typos. CONGRAGULATIONS TO ALL TEAMS WHO WON AN AWARD!

also if anyone's interested our scouts will have your stats from friday (today) electronically available for any teams that want it. (max points, max laps, etc.) tomorrow morning --> we're in the process of combining the data from the two laptops we used...we apologize for any inconvenience

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Which rules? And definition of Hurdle or Hurdling? (There is a difference.)

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

It’s possibly the easiest robot to defend against ever.... They can score 1 hurdle EXTREMLY fast. But they always lose control of the ball after it is dropped. All you have to do is bump the ball about a foot and they will never be able to get it again. The suction cup is swings around too much to capture a rolling object.

However, this is one of those robots that makes you say “Wow….” and leaves you standing with your mouth gaping open. It is just simply amazing, both in terms of sheer size and engineering. The fact that a team actually pulled off such a strategy amazes me…

On another note, 254 is on the brink of being disqualified. Very strange indeed....

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Word on Gameday was that they had the yellow for high-speed ramming. Is that true?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Yes, they hit 1280 very hard and tipped them immediately. From what I can tell, it wasn't intentional, but it was the obvious call.


For those of you wondering about Team 190's legality, we've run the entire strategy and design by the GDC members and the head refs at both of our events, and we were cleared both times. We will be extremely upset if a rule update is made following SVR that disallows us after having been told we were perfectly legal at both regionals.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

you never know.
rule interpretations vary from regional to regional, week to week. We clearly saw very distinct and clear DIFFERENT robot inspection and rule interpretations between the two regionals we attended.
For example, one ungracious comment we were told from one inspector was "I dont care what the VCU inspectors said, this isn't VCU."
I dont think its wrong to question any official gracefully about consistency among rules. All teams want is consistency in trying to have a great learning experience.

After what you folks went through, this shouldn't be an issue anymore now or in the future.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Today, I received a penalty for "hurdler interference" when I bumped team 190's robot while they were in the middle of their overhead ball circle. I know that the Q&A is not the final official word on rules, but I'm curious to see what the exact ruling on 190's protection while hurdling is. Though it probably will not change how I drive tomorrow, I would still like to know.
On the other hand, it seems like 254 finished building their robot in the afternoon and are now winning their matches, like usual.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

We rounded the lane divider and accidentally clipped 1280 with a trackball in our possession as they were beginning to raise their elevator, and unfortunately they fell over.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

It was an unfortunate accident, these things happen.

Eugene

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Cory,
You may recall 987 found themselves in same situation last week and made it through 3-4 matches with yellow to finish seeded #1...hang in there and good luck tomorrow...

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Team 190 hopes to soon post a link to our "Handy Dandy Rules Reference" that we have shown to various referees, judges, and members of the GDC.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

Forgive me if I'm missing something (I haven't actually seen it but I hope to tomorrow), but how does 190 retract this hurdling mechanism without moving it in a clockwise direction, particularly with respect to the opposing finish line(which they have already CROSSED)? I would imagine that even after dropping the ball, the mechanism would relax in a clockwise motion across the opposing finish line thus breaking <G22>. Am I making sense, because this is something I thought about before but never tried to communicate?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I just got home from the competition and just wanted to congradulate all award winners

List from top of my head

Woodie Flowers - Mentor of Apes of Wrath
Xerox creativity - WPI 190 with the ever-debated rotator (obvious)
Design - 1280 (awsome pit)
Website - MVRT 115 http://www.mvrt.com/2008/clear.php

Theese teams won awards but I forgot which one got which

Alaska team (forgot name/number Sorry!)
Funky Monkies
TKO
GRT 192 (The award for cool robot gizmos that you can explain in conciese terms)

I forgot who won volunteer (Sorry!)

Great competitions out there. Alliance selections are going to be very interesting, as a lot of great robot teams are in the lower rankings (254 is 35th, 114 is 38th etc). Oh and just my callouts to interesting things I saw...

I liked 973's method of ball removal
2144 pulled of the counterfacing omnis (looks like <> from underside) spectacularly
254 didn't show up to some of matches today! Why Cory?
1280's pit was awsome, being right next to it was..... humbling
Apparently there was a fire on the field while I was in the pits! I always miss the good stuff... (Sorry to the team who it happend to)
Not much as far as hybrid, I didn't see much as far as knoking balls off.

BTW - As pit captain I'm sure there was a lot of cool stuff that happend that I didn't see, so don't hate If I missed you!

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I'm not sure what exactly you're picturing, but once 190 releases the ball, they just immediately pick it up again without moving anything in a clockwise direction. When "relaxing" their mechanism, they are in their own home stretch and the mechanism is in their own area after the home stretch. Or am I not getting you?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

so much for the weather......

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

We have two electrical slip-rings in our turret that allow us to do an infinite number of rotations without ever having to go in reverse. The turret should never move in a clockwise direction, with the possible exception while placing the ball on our overpass in the endgame.

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

the slip rings are pretty intense:cool: ...is 190 going to do anything about keeping the ball from rolling forward after the quick drop?

Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008
 

I would think that coordinated alliance partners would be a good solution to this. It seemed that every time they dropped and it rolled away, their alliance partners just kept running laps and minding their own business. I'm sure that strategy will change in the eliminations.