FRC Blogged - Wireless Security, Karthik at TEDx and a Pop Safety Quiz!

[Hallry]

Taken from the FRC Blog, 2/13/13: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...op-safety-quiz

Wireless Security, Karthik at TEDx and a Pop Safety Quiz!

Blog Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - 10:26

Wireless Security

In the wake of the events on the Einstein field in 2012, FRC has been working to improve the security of our wireless system. No wireless system is perfectly secure, and within FRC there is a definite need to keep the system we use practical as well as secure. However, we know any system can be improved, and with over 2,500 FRC teams competing at more than 70 events in 2013, we expect you will run into situations and come up with ideas that were not included or considered as part of our testing.

We’ve set up a website for teams to submit identified security vulnerabilities or suggestions for security improvements related to our on-field systems. You can find it here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...urity-web-form. These suggestions will go straight to the FRC Engineering team. We won't respond to all submissions but they will all be read and considered. You're free to remain anonymous in your submission, if you wish. If you are open to contact from the FRC Engineering staff, please provide your contact information.

Thanks for helping FRC improve our systems!

Karthik at TEDx

Check out this great presentation at TEDxUTSC by Karthik Kanagasabapathy, mentor for the 2012 Chairman’s Award winning Team 1114, Simbotics. My favorite quote: “Life is too short to spend 40 hours a week doing something you are not enthusiastic about."

Video found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=MfC3JdkEVgQ

Pop [Safety] Quiz!

How many power strips can you safely ‘daisy chain’ by plugging one into another? The answer is…zero. Don’t daisy chain power strips, at your build site, at home, or at events. The Safety Advisors at our events are very friendly, but when they see this, they will politely ask you to reconfigure.

Speaking of safety, I hope every team has read and is following the FRC Safety Manual! In case you missed it, you can find the manual here: http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...fetyManual.pdf.

I’ll blog again soon.

Frank

[Akash Rastogi]

I like this Frank guy, he listens.

[Libby K]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

I like this Frank guy, he listens.

100% agreed. I was interning in FIRST's Marketing department this past summer (while the investigation was going on) and while I wasn't too involved with FRC projects, it was clear to everyone around us that Frank was taking up the mantle of Acting Director incredibly well. He even reached out to me as an FRC mentor/participant/die-hard and asked me what I thought teams would want to see come out of this situation. Listening and taking feedback was a big one, and it's clear that's become more important to FRC lately.

Frank is just plain awesome. I hope 'acting' gets removed from his title if it hasn't been already - he's doing some great things with FRC, along with the whole team there. They're good people.

[sanddrag]

On the power strips, you've got to be kidding me. It's not about how many you hook together. It's about the load being put on them. So long as the load is well below spec, I see no issue in daisy-chaining power strips. If they are truly going to stop us from daisy-chaining power strips, they better provide us with at least 4 outlets per pit. Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid. Or, can we use a triple-tap outlet adapter in each outlet in a power strip? This is silly.

What's more of an issue is half a dozen teams each with half a dozen laptops getting power for scouting all from one outlet in the stands, which is the same outlet powering the field camera. Why doesn't FIRST contract to have their cabling guys run power to the stands?

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

On the power strips, you've got to be kidding me. It's not about how many you hook together. It's about the load being put on them. So long as the load is well below spec, I see no issue in daisy-chaining power strips. If they are truly going to stop us from daisy-chaining power strips, they better provide us with at least 4 outlets per pit. Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid. Or, can we use a triple-tap outlet adapter in each outlet in a power strip? This is silly.

What's more of an issue is half a dozen teams each with half a dozen laptops getting power for scouting all from one outlet in the stands, which is the same outlet powering the field camera. Why doesn't FIRST contract to have their cabling guys run power to the stands?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Middle-Atl...utlet/11962359

Heh, you asked.

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid.

You asked for it
*I should buy stock now!

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

On the power strips, you've got to be kidding me. It's not about how many you hook together. It's about the load being put on them. So long as the load is well below spec, I see no issue in daisy-chaining power strips. If they are truly going to stop us from daisy-chaining power strips, they better provide us with at least 4 outlets per pit. Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid. Or, can we use a triple-tap outlet adapter in each outlet in a power strip? This is silly.

What's more of an issue is half a dozen teams each with half a dozen laptops getting power for scouting all from one outlet in the stands, which is the same outlet powering the field camera. Why doesn't FIRST contract to have their cabling guys run power to the stands?

Agreed. Power strips are a glorified hunk of wire with extra connectors attached.

[Jim Wilks]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

On the power strips, you've got to be kidding me. It's not about how many you hook together. It's about the load being put on them. So long as the load is well below spec, I see no issue in daisy-chaining power strips. If they are truly going to stop us from daisy-chaining power strips, they better provide us with at least 4 outlets per pit. Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid. Or, can we use a triple-tap outlet adapter in each outlet in a power strip? This is silly.

Yes, this made me laugh too. The number of power strips is unimportant. Only the load matters. Yet more misguided efforts at "safety" based on no facts.

[BigJ]

Originally Posted by Kims Robot

You asked for it
*I should buy stock now!

15 feet... (10 * sqrt(2)) < 15... it's gotta hang in your pit in 3 dimensions! Sounds much safer

[PayneTrain]

We’ve set up a website for teams to submit identified security vulnerabilities or suggestions for security improvements related to our on-field systems. You can find it here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...urity-web-form. These suggestions will go straight to the FRC Engineering team.

And thus, the greatest thing in FIRST I hope no one ever has to use comes to life.

[Nirvash]

Daisy chaining is plenty safe, we (my school and work) use it all the time.
The safest way is that the first power strip in the chain has a breaker that is rated at or lower then any other power strip's max current. In case for some reason the circuit can provide more then 15amps/the rating of the strip.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

On the power strips, you've got to be kidding me. It's not about how many you hook together. It's about the load being put on them. So long as the load is well below spec, I see no issue in daisy-chaining power strips. If they are truly going to stop us from daisy-chaining power strips, they better provide us with at least 4 outlets per pit. Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid. Or, can we use a triple-tap outlet adapter in each outlet in a power strip? This is silly.

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Agreed. Power strips are a glorified hunk of wire with extra connectors attached.

Originally Posted by Jim Wilks

Yes, this made me laugh too. The number of power strips is unimportant. Only the load matters. Yet more misguided efforts at "safety" based on no facts.

While you may be correct, Fire Marshall Bill says no daisy-chaining. We've been dinged in our workshop for that in the past. So, right or wrong, what he says, goes.

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by Taylor

While you may be correct, Fire Marshall Bill says no daisy-chaining. We've been dinged in our workshop for that in the past. So, right or wrong, what he says, goes.

Creating rules based on bad science is a bad practice. Period.

[Travis Covington]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

On the power strips, you've got to be kidding me. It's not about how many you hook together. It's about the load being put on them. So long as the load is well below spec, I see no issue in daisy-chaining power strips. If they are truly going to stop us from daisy-chaining power strips, they better provide us with at least 4 outlets per pit. Either that, or someone needs to point me to a 20-outlet power strip/squid. Or, can we use a triple-tap outlet adapter in each outlet in a power strip? This is silly.

Read the OSHA regulations and National Electrical Code for more information. This is all covered and pretty widely accepted as safe practice. Same goes with power strips plugged in to extension cords, extension cords plugged in to extension cords, etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe UL also has requirements to state what can and cannot be plugged in to extension cords, power strips etc. It usually says on the device "do not plug in to another power strip" or something like that. Doing any of these things violates the UL listing, which in turn goes against the OSHA and NEC requirements to use UL devices per their recommended listings.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Travis Covington

Read the OSHA regulations and National Electrical Code for more information. This is all covered and pretty widely accepted as safe practice. Same goes with power strips plugged in to extension cords, extension cords plugged in to extension cords, etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe UL also has requirements to state what can and cannot be plugged in to extension cords, power strips etc. It usually says on the device "do not plug in to another power strip" or something like that.

Power strips are approved by UL under UL1363 which states:

1.7 A cord-connected RPT is not intended to be connected to another cord-connected RPT.

(RPT is what UL calls power strips or surge protectors).

29 CFR §1910.303(b)(2) requires that "Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling.". Thus by plugging in a power strip to another power strip, you are not following UL1363 and 29 CFR §1910.303(b)(2) and that is why OSHA cares.