[Joe Johnson]

This is the text I submitted for FIRST for consideration:

I propose the following replacement for the second bullet of M11:

Storage achieved by deformation of springs or latex tubing;

However, safety is a very serious concern when using springs as an energy source. Teams should be especially careful because large amount of energy can be stored in springs. More importantly, this potential energy can be very rapidly converted to kinetic energy possibly endangering workers, drivers, and spectators.

Therefore, if a spring or series of springs in combination are used to power a mechanism of the robot and the energy stored in the spring or springs is stored in the springs prior to the start of the match, then one of the following two conditions must be met:

1) The energy stored in the spring or springs must be relatively small (less than 20 ft-lbs = 28 Joules = 28 N-m).

2) The spring energy used to power the mechanism must not be excessive and must be released at a controlled rate. Specifically both of the following two sub-conditions must be met:
a) No more than 3000 Joules of the energy stored in the spring or springs at the beginning of the match can be used to power the mechanism.
b) The spring energy must be released no faster than 1000 Joules / second (1000 Watts).

For example, if the spring has 2000 Joules of energy available to power a mechanism of the robot, it must take at least 2 second to release that energy. Similarly, a spring can provide 500 Joules to the mechanism, the robot can access it in .5 seconds.

Safety is the overall concern of this rule. Even if the energy of the spring is stored after the match begins, please be careful to store and release that energy safely.