You make the call...

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 1/13/2000 8:52 AM MST



I submitted this question to FIRST. Perhaps others have ideas on this.

Can a robot design mechanism intended to prevent their robot from being pushed off the ramp by extending wider than the distance between the 'uprights'?

For instance, a team may drive up the middle of the ramp and then put out 4 foot outriggers on each side of their ramp. These outriggers would not clamp on to anything, they would just hang off the edges of the ramp. If a competiting robot tried to push the outrigger robot off the ramp the outriggers would interact with the poles of the goal, but they are not actually touching the goal otherwise.

I suppose that rule M7 makes this robot illegal. Others on our team disagree.

Is the type of mechanism legal? Please clarify.

Joe J.

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Posted by Jon.

Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy of Math and Science and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Posted on 1/13/2000 9:43 AM MST


In Reply to: You make the call... posted by Joe Johnson on 1/13/2000 8:52 AM MST:



: I submitted this question to FIRST. Perhaps others have ideas on this.

: Can a robot design mechanism intended to prevent their robot from being pushed off the ramp by extending wider than the distance between the 'uprights'?

: For instance, a team may drive up the middle of the ramp and then put out 4 foot outriggers on each side of their ramp. These outriggers would not clamp on to anything, they would just hang off the edges of the ramp. If a competiting robot tried to push the outrigger robot off the ramp the outriggers would interact with the poles of the goal, but they are not actually touching the goal otherwise.

: I suppose that rule M7 makes this robot illegal. Others on our team disagree.

: Is the type of mechanism legal? Please clarify.

: Joe J.

I think that this qualifies as illegal... you're making a system that is designed to react against those supports, even its only some of the time. it seems to me that the intent of this rule is to not let us do anything like that and have us swing like monkeys off that bar...

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Posted by Ken Patton.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #65, The Huskie Brigade, from Pontiac Northern High School and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 1/13/2000 9:51 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: You make the call... posted by Jon on 1/13/2000 9:43 AM MST:



I think you're right, Jon - since the robot would be designed to react against the upright, it would violate the rule.

Ken

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Posted by Justin.

Other on team Blue Lightning Alum from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.

Posted on 1/13/2000 9:51 AM MST


In Reply to: You make the call... posted by Joe Johnson on 1/13/2000 8:52 AM MST:



Joe,

There's been quite a bit of discussion about this topic. Based on everything I've see I think that this machine would be illegal, becasue it is reacting with the supports of the goal (update 1 Q3, GM23, M7). However I was thinking the other day about one of the machines from last year's comp. that extended a PVC grid like structure to prevent teams from getting up on the puck. I think doing something like that to block the ramp would be perfectly legal provided it does not attach or react with the goal.

My Thoughts,
-Justin

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Posted by Frank.

Coach on team #97, Psychedelics, from CRLS and MIT.

Posted on 1/13/2000 9:22 PM MST


In Reply to: You make the call... posted by Joe Johnson on 1/13/2000 8:52 AM MST:



I'd have to say that one is illegal. They don't even want teams using C shaped alignment guides for lining up with the goal. And Dean also made a point at kickoff that teams can only intentionally touch the striped bar on top. Those outriggers of yours are obviously designed to touch the poles, even if they only do when another robot pushes you. That's my 2 cents on the matter.

Does anyone else feel that the not touching the goal intentionally is going to create a lot of havoc on the field? Robots being tipped and such. That especially worries me since we don't have time to fix the robot between competitions. A few falls could really kill it for good!

Frank Bentley
Team 97 - MIT/CRLS/CHS/Teradyne

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Posted by Raul.

Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Rolling Meadows & Wheeling HS and Motorola.

Posted on 1/14/2000 5:33 AM MST


In Reply to: I'd go for illegal posted by Frank on 1/13/2000 9:22 PM MST:



For the first time in four years our robot will not have a way to steady itself while scoring the game objects, only for hanging. It does make you think carefully about your scoring strategy.

I predict the floor next to the ramps will accumulate a lot of scrap robot pieces.

Raul

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Posted by Matt.

Student on team #69, HYPER, from North Quincy High School and Gillette.

Posted on 1/16/2000 9:46 AM MST


In Reply to: You make the call... posted by Joe Johnson on 1/13/2000 8:52 AM MST:



Joe, I would say this is illegal and that you would be disqualified, since the rules state that the only place where the robot can interact with the goal is the yellow and black striped bar.