[nighterfighter]

Originally Posted by PAR_WIG1350

Regardless of whether or not there is a precedent for discrimination, complaining here is not the best way to encourage change. Somehow, we need to express displeasure directly to FIRST if we truly want to be heard.

That being said, there is nothing in the rules that prohibits the use of robot parts to remove robots from the pyramid. Any tool that you might need to reach the release could be attached to a length of wire rope bolted to the frame and stowed on the bottom of the robot.

Similarly, fold-down, locking handles to allow shorter people to lift a robot that is otherwise above their reach could be bolted on and then only one person tall enough to release the handles is needed.

After the match the size constraints no longer apply, which gives more freedom in designing the retrieval assisting mechanisms. There is still a penalty in the form of weight and volume occupied by these elements, but any robot that can climb that high will already be devoting a lot of weight and volume to that mechanism. I hope this helps.

The robot could have a folding ladder! Rules against climbing the pyramid exist, but not against climbing the robot...