[Tristan Lall]

Since I'm not sure what FIRST has in mind for the future of FTC, I'm open to the possibility that the removal of materials restrictions is a good thing. It certainly does set FTC apart from VRC in a tangible way—and that may be just what FTC needs to stay relevant.

As for the rules, they're unfortunately ambiguous, self-contradictory and possibly redundant, particularly with regard to the way the numerous clauses of <R02> are to be interpreted (and reconciled with each other and <R01>).

And of course, since extruded aluminum is available in some rather hefty profiles, expect to see some fancy CNC-milled robots this year. We might also see some fun castings and composite layups, if teams are feeling especially creative.