[FTC]: Next year platform?

[maths222]

Matt: I don't like that one either, and I'm an FTA who has to deal with all the fun stuff in the old system.
What happens if a team either doesn't press start right away, or the button press doesn't go through. Do they start 5 seconds late, and then run 5 seconds long, do they have to "e-stop" when the buzzer rings, do they get a penalty, or can they not run auto at all that match?

Some other comments:

• This system will take longer to start: I can almost guarantee that we will not be permitted to restart the controller in between Auto and Teleop even if something has gone wrong.
• I'm a bit concerned about device battery life (although theyre may be some sort of power off of the robot battery [I hope]) and or random device crashes, which I don't believe any Android device is immune from.
• EVERYTHING that goes wrong will be a "team problem" except for mechanical field failure. Therefore, if communication fails though something not the team's fault at all, it will always be their responsbility (you can argue if this si bad or neutral; I think it is hard to argue this is a good change)
• USB connectors on all control system components (given that they will probably be micro-sized, although I could be wrong) concern me as a likely point of failure (not in terms of breakage, but in terms of disconnection)

Some positive things:

• Wifi should be the same at home and competition (No program chooser issues).
• The system should be better for use with off the shelf sensors
• I'm hoping the new motor/servo controllers will be more reliable, but we will see.