Cameras
 

Anybody know if placing a camera on teh robot and having a laptop at the drivers station allowed?
Thanks
894

Re: Cameras
 

Are you asking if you can transmit data from the camera to a laptop in the drivers station?

If so, the answer is yes, PROVIDED that you meet the following conditions:

1. All transmissions must use the radio modem.
2. The laptop must be part of the OI and on internal batteries.
3. The camera must be powered by the robot battery.
4. Cost requirements are met

Doing it this way means that the camera is a sensor. If you fail to meet all of the conditions, then the inspectors will ask you to modify the design, as the rules have been violated. Also see this thread.

Re: Cameras
 

I don't have time to find the rule right now, but in the past this has been a BIG no no. Any cameras on the robot were required to be approved by the head inspector (I think?), and ABSOLUTELY could not transmit data to the player station.

Re: Cameras
 

The thread I linked has the rules for this year. Also, Dave weighed in with his view of the matter.

Re: Cameras
 

Anybody know where a camera like this could be purchased?

Re: Cameras
 

The rule...
<R85> Any decorations that involve broadcasting a signal to/from the ROBOT, such as remote
cameras, must be cleared with FIRST Engineering prior to the event and tested for
communications interference at the venue. Such devices, if reviewed and approved, are
excluded from Rule <R64>. Note that 900 MHz camera systems will not be approved, and
are not permitted at any time.

R64 is the rule about wireless communication with the robot. Also note that the laptop must provide it's own power under R102.
Inspectors have interpreted cameras under the decorations rules in order that camera power be correctly addressed, among other things. All of that having been said, experience has shown that drivers trying to drive with both the playing field in their vision and a monitor cannot fully address both visual inputs. Cameras for driver feedback have proved to be more of a hindurance than a help.

Re: Cameras
 

Even if you use, say, 15 PWM outputs plus the 4 (might be 6...not sure) user bytes to transmit from the robot to the dashboard port, you have 19 total bytes * (1000msec to a second / 26ish msec to the loop) = 19b * 38.5 loops to the second = 730 bytes a second. That is *slow*.

Consider the fact that the smallest semi-decent picture is about 320x240. Assuming it's black and white--one byte to the pixel--you now have 76800 bytes to transmit. Divide by the 730 bytes/second = 105 seconds.

Sure, there are ways around this, but the reality is that this system is not designed for that kind of throughput.

JBot