[Jared Stofflett]

Not exactly, sorry for being unclear. The line is curved, so you don't take the most direct path to the platform. You are always having to scan the line as well, and if you overshoot it, you will have a very hard time picking it back up. With ir two things can happen as i understand it, someone please let me know if i'm wrong. First your ir reciever can get oriented directly at the becon, as long as you narrow the range. This means rather then taking the line which is inderect you can take the most direct path, the shortest distence between two points is a straight line, the ir does a better job of picking that out then the line on the floor. Second because the ir becon puts out a wide signal if you get 10 or 20 degrees off corse you can easily get back on corse. With line tracking if you get 10 or 20 degrees off corse you are basicly screwed, unless you do a lot of fancy turning. In summary ir lets you plot the most direct corse to the platform, more direct then the line. Also if you get off corse you have a much better chance of finding your way back with ir then with the line.