Team Update 1

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Kevin Leonard

I don't believe this rule update cleared up the questions about Ri3D 1.0's climb where their robot tilted entirely making their bumpers vertical and whether or not that violated the 15" Extension rule.

Although with the emphasis on measuring the robot as it would be flat on the ground, I'd assume that Ri3D 1.0's climb would indeed be illegal.

I'm fairly confident that this would not be legal. Although I'd be willing to be proven wrong.

The ROBOT's BUMPER ZONE moves as the ROBOT moves. If the ROBOT tips over, then the BUMPER ZONE tips too. See the picture in the blue box under G17. While this is demonstrating that a tipped ROBOT doesn't violate the height limit, it would also apply to the BUMPER ZONE. If that's to scale, the BUMPERS are 5" wide, and on the tipping ROBOT the top of the BUMPER is about 16-18" off the floor. That can't be a violation.

It follows that since your BUMPER ZONE is defined by your FRAME PERIMETER, then as your ROBOT tips the FRAME PERIMETER tips too.

When the ROBOT tips in an attempt to SCALE, all parts must be within 15" of [the projection of] the tipped FRAME PERIMETER. That sure looks to be farther than 15" on the video.

Nice try guys, but I think it's time for version 2.0, or at least 1.5.

(Aside: How were they going to put BUMPERS on the front end of that thing anyway? Sure, they could attach a frame section to do it, but that might interfere with the treads.)

EDIT:
Regarding the jacking device, this would change the location of the BUMPER ZONE, because the jack pushes the ROBOT and the attached BUMPERS upward. While the FRAME PERIMETER doesn't change size, the BUMPERS are jacked up so they are outside the BUMPER ZONE. Because the jacking device is still on the ground. Or if on the BATTER, then figure out where the BUMPER ZONE would be if the ROBOT was on flat ground.

EDIT 2: There's a blue box following R22 that states (more succinctly) what I've expounded above regarding the BUMPER ZONE of a tipped ROBOT.