Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

Quoted from the Q&A Forum, originally posted by GDC:

Per the definition of TRIGGERED, once the disk sensors are tripped, the MINIBOT RACE on that TOWER is complete. Therefore, the MINIBOT does not need to stay at the top of the tower. It is encouraged that you design your MINIBOT so that it's easily retrieved at the end of the MATCH.

Actual thread found here: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=16121

::rtm::

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

Very nice, but something most teams assumed.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

I'm still curious how folks are going to remove these robots. I can just imagine someone getting hit in the head with a falling robot.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

Well the incentive is for minibots to be as light as possible. We have a mentor who is very versed in the creation of 1lb bots. If we get that, as few electronics as possible, with those two motors we will FLY up the pole.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

I get the getting up part. How are you going to get it down? There is a statement that if it takes you more than a minute to remove your robot you can receive a yellow card.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

Minimum weight of a minibot is ~2.25 lbs due to the battery and motors. It will weigh a 1/2-lb more unless it's held together with magic, turned on by magic, and the motors drive weightless wheels. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

That is a thing we have yet to tackle. XD We've been mainly focusing on the HOSTBOT.

We weren't really realistically looking for a 1lb bot. We are thinking crazy light, and if you don't need a control system (NXT), and just have a switch make it go, that reduces a lot of weight.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

The reality of the rules is that one motor and one battery (the minimum requirements from the rules)weigh more than 1 lbs.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

While our team hasn't started on the minibot design yet, I couldn't help think about it during a few slow work days earlier this week... It should be possible to have a minibot that turns on when it hits the tower, drives up the tower, and turns off when it gets to the top, allowing it to glide down. If that doesn't work, run the motors in reverse once you hit the top and drive down the tower.

In theory (we haven't gotten the minibot kit from FIRST Choice yet, so we can't even play with anything there), with a proper setup, this can be done (at least electronically) with the two allowed motors, a battery, and 3 switches. It might take a little creativity on a team's part to do it with such a minimal setup... but it is, in theory, possible!

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

That battery that comes with the kit is crazy heavy. I was shocked at the size and weight of all of it. We have a highly affective Lego team and we are going to bring that group in to help build the mini bot.

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

Stu's hard hat will come in handy!

Re: Answer to if the Minibot needs to stay at the top of the pole
 

Assuming is the factor that would be one's downfall when one goes to regionals and find out the minibot has to stay at the top, in this case it does not have to, but I was speaking hypothetically.