Re: Catapulting minibot
 

True, no rule. I'm just thinking if the mini has enough momentum on the way up to overcome the pole friction and target switch force, you probably have a good bit of mass and so a good bit (even tho probably somewhat less) on the way down. Which might be considered "damaging" to the base. especially if they let everybody do it all the time. Maybe like kornjones said, some well placed padding might save the day...

But its all moot if climbing requires traction, which I'm betting on. The GDC wants a climbing race, not a shoot-em-up-in-the-air, so I think they will either interpret or clarify the existing rules in that direction.

But I could be wrong. That would be oh, 6 or 7 times today... that I know of ;)

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

During our discussions today, 449 reached the somewhat tentative conclusion that as the rules are currently written there is nothing explicitly forbidding a minibot that is launched up the pole as a projectile as long as it clamps to the pole in some way and your robot is no longer touching it when it passes the deployment line (which limits the possible displacement of whatever spring mechanism you use to shoot it), however it is more likely than not the rules will be clarified/revised fairly soon to make this illegal, as it completely bypasses what seems to be the intent of the minibot in the first place (i.e. seeking the help of local FTC teams, unifying the various branches of first, etc).

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

What if to solve the problem of uncontrolled free-fall the minibot had wheels with a ratchet mechanism. The wheels when going up can spin freely, but when going down the wheels are stuck and provide enough friction for a safe fall

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

Please, PLEASE don't make design decisions on what you assume the rules meant to be. The Manual is the Manual. Follow the rules, but don't assume FIRST had one robot design in mind.

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

It's not a design decision so much as a development strategy - if it's reasonably likely that a certain approach to a game task despite its seeming innate superiority and comparative simplicity to the alternatives will be deemed illegal, then it's good strategy to plan on designing an alternative so that you're not stranded without a mechanism if the rules are changed (or in this case clarified, as arguments can and have already been made that the wording of "positioning" already rules out launchers).

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

There are an awful lot of words being used here which have no definition in the rules, only in the poster's minds. We need to use GDC definitions; where something is not defined it has to be asked in Q&A.

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

As a physics teacher the solution seems obvious. Have the HOSTBOT wrap many coils of wire around the steel pole. Clip the MINIBOT, which is basically just an aluminum ring, around the pole and then just run a large AC current through the coils of wire. The MINIBOT shoots up the pole by electromagnetic induction.

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

AC Current inside a DC-controlled robot. Is there anything in the Rules against a DC to AC Inverter?

I like the concept. This post gave me a good chuckle:}

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

Or since you are allowed polycarb and aluminum plate you can make pretty big capacitor bank to allow the single pulse to push the "Minibot" up the pole. Railgun anyone?

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

This is a cool idea.

However, it might run afoul of <G19>, because the ring would not jump autonomously after deployment. See the Manual, Section 1.6 LogoMotion Glossary: DEPLOYMENT starts when the MINIBOT breaks the vertical projection of the TOWER BASE circumference during the END GAME.

I'd like to try it in the shop anyway, just for fun. :)

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

Oh, I forgot to mention - the MINIBOT would ideally be dipped in liquid nitrogen just before DEPLOYMENT.

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

But how exactly would you wrap the coils around the pole?

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

FIRST will often often ask you to use accepted definitions, sometimes explicitly in the Q&A. Remember the "active mechanism" fiasco last year? If you apply a more generally accepted definition of autonomous (more than just the context of our "autonomous mode") and then:

• Consider <G19> After DEPLOYMENT, MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous.
• Consider the definition: DEPLOYMENT – the act of positioning a MINIBOT on a TOWER. DEPLOYMENT starts when the MINIBOT breaks the vertical projection of the TOWER BASE circumference during the END GAME.

In a broader sense of the word, something that is pushed is not autonomous. Therefore, if it is pushed after it crosses the platform, it is not acting autonomously during DEPLOYMENT.

I imagine someone will get the GDC to clarify after enough prodding, just like they eventually did for "active mechanism" last year.

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

Are you serious?

Re: Catapulting minibot
 

Not even slightly, just having fun. Check out <R92>