[Mike Betts]

In my first year (associated with FIRST), the weight was 85 pounds, the current limit was 40 amps (total) and the base constraint was a 30" diameter circle. These constraints (and others) varied from year to year until recently.

We truly anticipated the kickoff because it defined not only the game but the design constraints as well.

This is real world. Being handed "impossible" constraints forces the engineering/”sales”/manufacturing team to consider trade offs.

A few years ago, I had posted on a few threads here where the issue was the size of the main battery current limit (Then a 60 amp fuse… If it blew, you were dead.). I had stated that the Bobcat had never blown a fuse and the teams that had done so had not paid attention to their power budget.

Anyways, the total power was raised (which caused a slew of new problems) and, in retrospect, I’m still not sure that FIRST did themselves or us a favor…

Tackling “impossible” design challenges led to an amazing and unprecedented era of technological developments in the late 20th century. We put men on the moon, telescopes in orbit and robotic rovers on distant planets. The outcome of which can be symbolically represented by the enabling technologies inside the laptops most of you are using to read this message.

Another benefit of fluctuating constraints is that it levels the playing field. Designing a robot (or robot subassemblies) in pre-season becomes less profitable to veteran teams in terms of something which will be used this year. Pre-season activities become slanted more toward educating the workforce (mentor and student alike) to be able to respond to whatever twisted and devious challenges Messrs. Flowers, Lavery and Kamen (et al) might throw at us.

Also, fluctuating constraints in a very tight timetable forces a discipline on the team which is beneficial to everyone involved. We learn (or relearn) the importance of a structured timeline, (sub)system requirements and intelligent trade off analysis. Moreover, it forces the entire team to actually read the rules and approach the design as a team exercise!

Therefore, a proposal for varying constraints:

Weight: 80 to 140 lbs.
Base size: 20 to 30 inches by 30 to 48 inches.
Height: 20 to 60 inches.
Geometry: Approximately every other year, use cylinders, pyramids, trapezoids, etc.
Power: 80 to 120 amps at 12 VDC.
Cost: Between 3K and 5K (with no subsystem constraints).
Components: More variation (example: Skip using CIM motors for a year or vary the number of Drill motors from 2 to 4 for a year).

Bottom line: Some people will complain no matter what the design constraints are… I say: Let ‘em and bring it on!