[Pat Fairbank]

If I remember correctly, team 773 had a giant inflatable device on their 2004 robot. They would position themselves on the top platform and inflate this thing (which resembled a cucumber) in order to raise a hook attached to it up to the chin-up bar.

The main problem with such a device is inflating it - using the kit-provided pneumatics system to do so would be illegal, not to mention painfully slow. Another option would be to build a custom fan using a kit motor.

However, I guess any inflatable device would be illegal (by this year's rules, at least) if it's deemed to fall under the category of a custom pneumatic device.