Go to Post Adding more weight doesn't make the challenge any easier, it just makes the robots heavier. - Sean Schuff [more]
Home
Go Back   Chief Delphi > Competition > Rules/Strategy
CD-Media   CD-Spy  
portal register members calendar search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read FAQ rules

 
Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-02-2003, 10:53
Dodd Dodd is offline
Registered User
#0095 (Lebanon/Upper Valley Robotics Team)
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Lebanon, New Hampshire
Posts: 16
Dodd is an unknown quantity at this point
Could be ugly

I agree with Joe's points, especially #3, which is essentially a scaling issue with FIRST's growth model. But I think that FIRST needs to help teams comply professionally with the rules by avoiding the making of rules which contradict standard good engineering practise.

I can understand and sympathize with the engineer who reads the rules and then dives into the design of some of the robot systems as his or her training and experience guide, simply zoning out that some absurd rule forbids good practise.

What do you mean, I can't null out the gravitational load before applying the system drive motor and its precision control system? You want me to add that load to the system drive train, which may increase the drive train load by an order of magnitude? There can't possibly be a rule that means that - this is supposed to be about showing kids how to be smart and clever and safe and thorough and to design things that want to work.

If FIRST makes rules that are contrary to good practise, that are inscrutable in their intent, that do not clearly improve safety - and M11 really misses the mark here - then some well intentioned and thoroughly gracious professional engineers are going to run afoul of the rule. Remember, not everybody in this exponentially expanding community reads the Delphi Forums - splendid as they are - and many may be oblivious to the interpretive scrutiny M11 has received here.

So, I'm afraid that it may be ugly. Some teams will show up at Competitions clueless that their robots are crosswise to M11. Other teams must not turn a blind eye. The offending counter balancers/etc are removed. The mechanism drives cannot be re-engineered in the pits, and the teams drive around with a dysfunctional robot. Worse, mechanisms break and fall, fingers smash, motors smoke, fires happen.

What really distresses me, and then I'll shut up, is that FIRST lost sight of the fact that good practise IS safe. That's part of why it is good practise. FIRST has a good history of progress in relaxing arbitrary and onerous rules and restrictions on robot construction over the years. I'm hopeful that they will keep their eye on the fact that gracious professionalism and good practise are strongly linked.

Dodd
Closed Thread


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
My Favorite rule. :) Useless member Rules/Strategy 15 01-03-2003 00:44
M11 and counterbalancing mechanisms... Joe Johnson Rules/Strategy 10 16-01-2003 21:47
Rule C1 Justin Stiltner Rules/Strategy 9 05-01-2003 22:59
Do away with the 2-minute rule! archiver 2000 3 23-06-2002 23:17
1 coach rule Mike Soukup Rules/Strategy 14 07-01-2002 22:27


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 16:04.

The Chief Delphi Forums are sponsored by Innovation First International, Inc.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Chief Delphi