Minibot Stored Energy Question

[brettreardon123]

Having read through the minibot section of the manual, I have a question about stored energy for the minibot: would it be legal for us to use a flywheel or elastic to store energy for the minibot to use? Also, is it legal for us to launch the minibot up the pole using a pneumatic or other system installed on our main robot?

Thanks in advance,
Brett
1212

[Jon Stratis]

check out update #1, posted on tuesday:

<G19> MINIBOTS must remain completely autonomous and move up the POST solely through electric energy provided after DEPLOYMENT by the permitted, unaltered battery and converted to mechanical energy by the permitted unaltered motors (and associated, appropriate circuitry).

(Blue Box)
<G19> means that HOSTBOTS are not allowed to launch the MINIBOT up the pole at the TARGET, or otherwise contribute to the vertical movement of the MINIBOT. Energy for vertical movement may not be stored in the MINIBOT before DEPLOYMENT (except that which is contained within the battery and excluding incidental kinetic energy stored in the motors or wheels, but NOT, for example, in a flywheel).

[foozie]

Neither of those are legal. According to Team Update #1: Minibots must

move up the POST solely through electric energy provided after DEPLOYMENT by the permitted, unaltered battery and converted to mechanical energy by the permitted unaltered motors (and associated, appropriate circuitry).

[martin417]

One of my co-workers pointed out that stored energy in a Li-Io battery can often be released in an extremely rapid manner by shorting the leads...

So how about this: put the battery at the bottom of a rocket shaped device, as soon as the device is attached to the rail, short the leads. When the battery explodes, the minibot/rocket will be propelled to the top....

It would take a lot of batteries....

And probably violate safety rules.....

But, it would meet the new clarification of <G19>....

[EricH]

Originally Posted by martin417

One of my co-workers pointed out that stored energy in a Li-Io battery can often be released in an extremely rapid manner by shorting the leads...

So how about this: put the battery at the bottom of a rocket shaped device, as soon as the device is attached to the rail, short the leads. When the battery explodes, the minibot/rocket will be propelled to the top....

It would take a lot of batteries....

And probably violate safety rules.....

But, it would meet the new clarification of <G19>....

Actually, the blue box specifies the FTC motors. So much for creativity...

[brettreardon123]

Thanks everybody! One more question, is there a definition of "Deployment" in the manual? We can't seem to find it...

Thanks in advance,
Brett
1212

[Jon Stratis]

Look a little harder... Section 1.6 Logomotion Glossary (where all of the game- and FIRST-specific definitions are):

DEPLOYMENT – the act of positioning a MINIBOT on a TOWER. DEPLOYMENT starts when the MINIBOT breaks the vertical projection of the TOWER BASE circumference during the END GAME. (Related form, DEPLOY, verb)

[DonRotolo]

There's also a definition of when deployment ends in one of the team updates.

[OScubed]

Originally Posted by martin417

One of my co-workers pointed out that stored energy in a Li-Io battery can often be released in an extremely rapid manner by shorting the leads...

So how about this: put the battery at the bottom of a rocket shaped device, as soon as the device is attached to the rail, short the leads. When the battery explodes, the minibot/rocket will be propelled to the top....

It would take a lot of batteries....

And probably violate safety rules.....

But, it would meet the new clarification of <G19>....

Here's one response to this idea :

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...1ddb&id=428163