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Originally Posted by cbale2000
Was there a specific update or Q&A response regarding this? I'm a bit curious to know the rational behind the decision to prohibit it.
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The GDC answered our Q&A question (Q365). It seems to be impossible to link directly to a question, so I've copy/pasted the full text here.
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Originally Posted by FRC1418
R83 says that operators are allowed to wear devices that are attached to the Operator Console. Is there any prohibition of a member of the drive team using an Oculus Rift attached to the Operator Console?
An Oculus Rift is a wearable head mounted display device, and blocks the user's true vision completely. We are conscious of the possible safety issues. The device is easily mounted and unmounted (1 second), and the drive team member will be able to see their surroundings via a camera mounted on the Rift where their eyes would normally be, and will wear safety glasses while using the device. Further steps could be taken to ensure the user's safety if required by FIRST (such as using a face shield).
Additionally, the safety manual states that "... your eyes must be clearly visible to others". We believe that having a visible camera mounted on the device meets the spirit of that requirement.
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Originally Posted by GDC
A. Thank you for doing your homework in regards to this question. Just as you are conscious of the possible safety issues, so are we. The tunnel vision caused by device restricts the wearer's ability to avoid and respond to obstacles and people around them. Also, this device does not result in the wearer's eyes being clearly visible to others,and we don't think think being able to see the camera is equivalent, as it could hinder full communication with event personnel. For these reasons, we would consider use of devices like this a safety issue and not allowed.
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While we were disappointed that we would not be able to use the device in competition, I'm very proud of the work that Carter did to put the software and documentation together, as I believe this was his first experience using C# and a 3d modeling environment like Unity. As devices such as this become more prevalent, I hope we can find ways to safely allow teams to use them. It really opens up a whole new range of possibilities for interacting with a robot, and is a great way to draw students in to our program.