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Re: Brainstorm: Improving the FRC bumper rules
If I was in charge of the bumper rules:
Section 8.Y BUMPERS.
<RXX> Bumpers are at the team's discretion. Only standard bumpers, as defined in <RXY>, are exempt from size/weight requirements for the entire robot. NOTE: While bumpers are not required, they are highly recommended. Teams that choose not to use bumpers may find their robots taking a lot of structural damage.
<RXY> Standard design is defined as:
a) 2 vertically stacked 2.5" pool noodles, or [reasonable substitute that is 5" high],
b) 3/4" thick by 5" high plywood backing for the noodles,
c) Cover made of tough, smooth fabric that covers the noodles and the top and bottom of the plywood backing.
d) Optional: angled aluminum may be used to help secure the bumper covers.
All components must be assembled as shown in Figure 8-Z.
<RCD> All bumper segments used must be at least 6" in length. A section of bumper is not a segment unless it has all of the required components.
<RXZ> Standard bumpers must be entirely within the BUMPER ZONE and securely attached to the FRAME PERIMETER.
<RBA> Standard bumpers should be removable by one person in about 10 minutes.
<RZX> Non-standard bumpers are allowed, but must fit within normal robot size and weight requirements.
a) The outer material should be soft enough that a normal human could punch it and not suffer serious damage, but stiff enough that said normal human can not drive the material into the backing.
b) Should the bumpers have anything capable of motion inside them, the inspectors will notify the referees. Use of the bumpers to tip other robots will result in being reinspected after the motion is removed, in addition to any on-field penalty.
<RAB> Numbers/decorations/colors on bumpers. Should a team use bumpers, they are required to have their number, sized according to <Rnumberrule>, upon at least one segment, in a contrasting color to the rest of the bumper. Other than that, there are no restrictions on color.
Other rules referenced:
FRAME PERIMETER: The polygon defined by the outermost vertices of the robot in the bumper zone, not counting bolts. As an example, imagine putting a rubber band around your frame in the bumper zone--the band defines the perimeter. [note: bolt exclusion would extend up and down--no tolerance for outside the size box, but inside, tolerance up to the thickness of the plywood.]
<Rnumberrule> Numbers shall be X" high by Y" stroke, in a contrasting color to the background, spaced at about 90 degrees from each other. Numbers shall be visible against a black background from 300'. NOTE: This means that if your robot is in front of a black background, and you can't see the numbers from 300' away, you're in violation of the rule.
[author note: 300' has been the guideline for a number of years. Black on clear contrasts, but darned if I can see it from 300' away on a dark background...]
Now, to solve the alliance ID issues:
KOP item: 4 color-changing LED strips.
<Rcolor> You must use all 4 provided LED strips, and the color must be visible from X feet away on all sides. Your base code will take care of changing the color. (Base code would include a call to find out the alliance and produce a red or a blue.)
Of course, I am not in charge of any rules, so this is just what I'd like to see.
__________________
Past teams:
2003-2007: FRC0330 BeachBots
2008: FRC1135 Shmoebotics
2012: FRC4046 Schroedinger's Dragons
"Rockets are tricky..."--Elon Musk

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