Backup Battery
 

Does anybody know waht the backup battery is used for this year?

Re: Backup Battery
 

I would assume that it is being used to keep the RC from turning off when the main voltage momentarily spikes low.

Re: Backup Battery
 

I second that answer.

Re: Backup Battery
 

Note: I have not read through all the rules. It could be used for a servo if someone wanted to use one. Mostly for retaining a connection of the main battery has a bad connection.

Re: Backup Battery
 

From what my software team has told me, the backup battery powers servos for the camera, the camera, and sensors plugged into the RC board. so you dont need it, but then again, sensors would be nice. haha

Re: Backup Battery
 

Use it for servos (shifting etc.) and sensors as being able to keep your robot running for a few seconds just in case something happens during game play. Unfortunately there is no camera needed this year but you still have a servo or two if you want to shift so there is still some use for it...

Re: Backup Battery
 

Side Question: Are we allowed to use the camera's this year? (Heard or read something about the fact that 2 of the trackballs have 12" circular spots on them for visual detection, so I'm thinking it's allowed. Just looking for a clarification.

Tomasz Bania

Re: Backup Battery
 

Check the flowchart, it is COTS and under the $400 from IFI, so it appears the answer would be yes.

Go nuts.

Re: Backup Battery
 

I do NOT think you can use the camera this year as of rule R36.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I would love to use the camera this year for autonomous.

Re: Backup Battery
 

It does not mention anything about the 2007 cameras!:yikes:

EDIT: Still a custom part, but weird why they specify 2006.

I know I heard or read something about the fact that 2 of the balls have those 12" circles to assist A vision system during the hybrid period. I guess we should start developing our own camera systems!

Re: Backup Battery
 

Also on the backup battery, I'm curious to if we can use a backup battery charging circuit from last year. It doesnt list any design in the manual and rule R49 lists
When mounted on the ROBOT, the backup battery may be charged from the 12VDC primary battery by using the custom charging circuit available from Innovation First Inc. or any similar charging circuit (note: IFI will provide the design for this circuit on the IFI website, however teams must obtain the parts for this circuit and assemble it themselves). The use of this circuit is strongly encouraged.

With that does that mean teams can design their own circuit as well?

Re: Backup Battery
 

I dont think it said a vision SYSTEM, I thought it just said to help vision. I think it will help the referees keep track of which ball is which. This game is going to be complicated for them, they need all the help they can get.
Joey

Re: Backup Battery
 

That would only make sense if (for example) the red balls had the circles and the blue ones did not, but it's one red and one blue ball with the circles.

Re: Backup Battery
 

I read it this way as well... I'm not really sure about the CMU cam thing. Since you can purchase it from http://ifirobotics.com/camera.shtml, then that gives every team the chance to buy one, but, the rules disallow the use of custom KOP components from previous years. Sounds like a good Q&A question to me.

Re: Backup Battery
 

See here for more discussion about the camera:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=60751