Quote:
Originally Posted by wilsonmw04
I don't know if anyone else makes a USB port for the board, but IFI does.
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According to <R83> under "The Robot" for the 2007 season:
Quote:
<R83> All equipment connected to the joystick ports of the Operator Interface must be powered
solely through the power available through the port. External power sources of any type are
not permitted on any equipment connected to the joystick ports. Portable computing
devices can not be connected to joystick input ports on the Operator Interface. Powerpassive
devices (e.g. joysticks that draw their power solely through the Operator Interface
joystick port) are permitted. The one exception to this rule is Innovation First Incorporated
USB adapters (IFI Part Number USB-CHICKLET) may be used to connect USB devices to
the joystick ports of the Operator Interface. If used, this USB adapter must be powered with
a 7.2V battery similar to the back-up battery. Teams can not use power from the
competition port or any other source to power the USB adapter. The USB adapter must be
positioned within the OPERATOR CONSOLE so that the indicator lights may be seen during
inspection and operation in a match.
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(yuck; Adobe left all the newlines in there...eww...)
So the only USB adapter you can use is the Chicklet, sold by IFI--nothing else is FIRST-legal.
Then again, FIRST might turn around next year and rule that the only way to control your robot involves wooden sticks and string with no USB adapters allowed at all. Or IFI might put USB ports on the OI. Or we may use PCs with WiFi to control the robot (not going to happen). The point of this is that there is no way to declare this "legal" or "not legal" in the future. What you propose would have been legal last year, but on Kickoff day you had better read your rulebook thoroughly before you assume this is legal.
JBot