[Duke461]

Originally Posted by jblay

I'm gonna make an attempt to divert this discussion back to what the OP was asking about.

We too have been thinking of making this setup on our robot just to have fully optimized the task even if it wasn't at the competition.

I know I would love to get some input from teams like 233, 190, 254, 1114, 2056, 217, 71, 973, 368, 1986, 177, and any and all others that I couldn't think of on Duke461's questions and any other details on how they managed to pull off the awesomeness that is the ramp deployment.

Thank you Jay.
I'd like to keep this focused on my original question, not the legality. There are a multitude of other threads to discuss that and that was not an intended part of this discussion.

Originally Posted by Hawiian Cadder

did anyone think of having a "U" so that the mini-bot goes down a pole, then that energy is converted into upward motion, there would be no launch, so it should be legal.

That would be illegal. The upward motion has to come SOLELY from the motors of the minibot, not gravity and acceleration gained from the U. but thats another discussion for another thread.

Originally Posted by blayde5

Someone correct me if I"m wrong but I'm pretty sure teams such as 254, 973, 368 and 233 had minibots going up ramps before they even touched the pole. Here's a video of what the OP is asking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmT9nTWqDOU

Also, I clearly remember these minibots with these ramp deployment devices being used at the Championship event so I'm almost 100% sure they're legal. The rule you are looking at is <G19> and it states:

MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous and move up the POST solely through electric energy provided after the start of DEPLOYMENT by the permitted, unaltered battery and converted to mechanical energy by the permitted unaltered motors (and associated, appropriate circuitry). <G19> means that HOSTBOTS are not allowed to launch the MINIBOT up the pole at the TARGET, or otherwise contribute to the vertical movement of the MINIBOT. Energy for vertical movement may not be stored in the MINIBOT before DEPLOYMENT (except that which is contained within the battery and excluding incidental kinetic energy stored in the motors or wheels, but NOT, for example, in a flywheel).

While hostbots may not "launch" minibots up the pole, I believe that these teams basically start the minibot's motors while it is on the ramp so it will use the ramp as a track to gain speed before it gets to the pole (under its own power); therefore, there is no violation of <G19>

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Richard

A cycloid might be like a good idea.

Thank you Richard
Im not the most studied on my physics and whatnot yet, but on wikipedia it says the Cycloid is for "the curve of fastest descent under gravity". Does this method still apply for upward descent? Thanks.

Other suggestions and statements regarding minibot ramps, and not their legality, are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-Duke