[Mr B]

To me, the most reasonable explanation is that there will be some IR transmitters on the field that send dynamic game information to the robot which interprets it with this board. The field would transmit a code that activates one of the digital outs on the board which can then be used to redirect the gameplay. This opens up a whole world of possibilities both in auto and tele-game periods that go way beyond telling your robot what color light is shining. The game objectives could be changed either in a preset or random fashion - or even by the robots themselves. Consider a field element that looks like a bumper but acts like a switch, so that a robot could actually change the light color... or open a goal... or modify the bonus multiplier - any of which could be transmitted to your robot as new game information.

In 2K4, I got the vibe that the FIRST game developers had high hopes for the IR devices. Unfortunately reflections and interference (and the lack of available trig calculations on the robot) made them cumbersome to use. It was simply easier to navigate around the field using encoders and gyros. Since the new ones are transmitting information, reflections won't matter - they might even help. I believe that if this thing is real, and they get it to work, we will see this device for years to come as it adds a whole new dimension to the strategy. 2K8 is gonna be sweet!