[ggoldman]

The debate of arm vs scissor has two views:

Scissor Lift:

It is an inherantly more complex *Mechanism* since there are multiple sets of moving parts. If one small roller fails, the whole mechanism could be broken. That being said, the actuation of a scissor is simple in that it just takes a pneumatic cylinder or screw drive. Control is easier since it is a single input, but speed could be slower depending on actuation method.

Articulated Arm:

This is a simple *Mechanism* since there are only one or two moving parts involved. The control of an articulated arm poses a greater problem since you have to learn how to control different sections of the arm to create different motions. Sometimes, there are multiple positions of the arm that can get to the same point, so you need to plan on how you are going to move it.


In terms of strategy, simplicity, and usefullness, I would put my vote towards an articulated arm.

If our team has an arm, we will most likely do articulated.