[BradyP4]

No little FLL box or tube is going to change what goes to the IR receiver on the robot. The problem is that all light disperses. IR is just a lower frequency light than visible. It disperses a lot over a few feet. Anyone who has played pointing their TV remote away or at an angle to bounce against a wall etc. and was able to change the channel can attest to this.

If you have two or more robot coaches on one end, both trying to control their robots at the same time, there is nothing to keep both IR signals from getting to both robots. As someone pointed out, it doesn't even have to be a frequency issue, it's the fact that both robots are going to receive both signals.

I personally think the frequency issue will be an issue. How are they going to handle a frequency interference issue at an event?

As well as a FIRST mentor I am also a coordindator for another robotics competition RobocupJunior which uses IR emitting balls to play soccer. We allow no cameras, even without flashes as the IR sensors on the cameras can be read by the sensors. The robots can only use passive IR sensors to see the robot and dont see them well (we even have teams tape up the IR emitter on the Lego sensors). If they used active sensors all robots would look like the ball. Competitions are in rooms without windows, no incandescent lights, etc. because of the IR issues. Yes the IR issues are a little different, but IMHO IR remotes are just too fickle.

I do like the idea of a hybrid period instead of autonomous.

The minute I got the unit, I cringed.

Deb