New Off-season Defenses

[notmattlythgoe]

Originally Posted by TheMagicPenguin

When a volunteer signs up for field reset I believe they should have expected some level of danger. When I did feild reset this year I defiantly got some cuts on my hands and such (as I expected to), but I didn't complain saying that the rough terrain should be forbidden because I got hurt on it. I put my hand where I shouldn't have and after that I didn't do it again.

I don't disagree that breaking fingers and getting stiches is a little different, however by signing up to volenteer you know what the job is and the dangers it could potentially bring. You know what your getting yourself into.

My solution to this problem would have been after the first time there was a "severe" inquiry would have been to give volunteers an option to not work with the portcullis. Better training for handling it would have helped too. Obviously it's a little late for that now.

A lot of people doing field reset are getting their first into to FRC, coming in they should not be expected to know there is a risk of serious injury.

[efoote868]

Originally Posted by TheMagicPenguin

When a volunteer signs up for field reset I believe they should have expected some level of danger. When I did feild reset this year I defiantly got some cuts on my hands and such (as I expected to), but I didn't complain saying that the rough terrain should be forbidden because I got hurt on it. I put my hand where I shouldn't have and after that I didn't do it again.

What you're posting is troubling to me. What you're describing is what FIRST's safety culture should address, but appears to be failing.

If anyone is ever injured at an event, we absolutely should be reporting it. At a minimum, we should make FIRST and the event know, and possibly other volunteers and teams aware of the injury.

For one, anything that can be addressed should be addressed. Maybe there were sharp edges missed on the defense that should have been filed down (out of spec equipment). Maybe volunteers need to be wearing gloves (inadequate Personal Protection Equipment). These are easy to correct, but won't be corrected until the proper people know about it.

Two, other people need to know so that the injury can be learned from. How terrible would it be if someone else was injured in the exact same way because people that knew the hazard existed said nothing.

Three, this is something that you'll see and is practiced in the real world, and it's not something you should have to learn your first day on the job. It's more important than shouting "ROBOT" anyway.

[Conor Ryan]

Another Idea:

The Kool Aid Defense.

Take a large sheet of paper. Hang it in the former portcullis without the gate. Every time a team breaks through the paper successfully AND the audience yells "OH YEAH" the team gets points. Audience participation is required to receive points.

You'll need a lot of tape and paper, however it will increase audience participation.

[ctt956]

Originally Posted by Conor Ryan

Another Idea:

The Kool Aid Defense.

Take a large sheet of paper. Hang it in the former portcullis without the gate. Every time a team breaks through the paper successfully AND the audience yells "OH YEAH" the team gets points. Audience participation is required to receive points.

You'll need a lot of tape and paper, however it will increase audience participation.

Oh yeah!

P.S. Running out of tape shouldn't be an issue; what team doesn't bring duct tape?

[efoote868]

Originally Posted by Conor Ryan

Another Idea:

The Kool Aid Defense.

Take a large sheet of paper. Hang it in the former portcullis without the gate. Every time a team breaks through the paper successfully AND the audience yells "OH YEAH" the team gets points. Audience participation is required to receive points.

You'll need a lot of tape and paper, however it will increase audience participation.

Could get one of those screens with magnets on them.
http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Scree...et+screen+door

[tickspe15]

Originally Posted by notmattlythgoe

A lot of people doing field reset are getting their first into to FRC, coming in they should not be expected to know there is a risk of serious injury.

Maybe more regions should adopt the 21+ policy for field reset. I wonder if Minnesota saw fewer portcullis injuries as a result of their more experienced volunteers

/S

[Nate Laverdure]

Twinkie Defense: two large yellow blocks of open-cell foam, rounded at all edges, loosely covered together in a single layer of 6 mil transparent plastic sheeting.

[Alex2614]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

• A Chute Door

You had to go there...

[Shifter]

Originally Posted by ctt956

I like the cannonball idea! By "freezing of the moats", does that mean filling them with ice, leaving them in place, or something else?

Despite our love for hockey, even in Canada we cannot get permission to fill and freeze the moats (high school gym, wooden floors, blah, blah, blah). Instead, the resourceful STEMley planners have been searching for the next best thing - a surface which simulates the low friction characteristic of frozen water.

No, not regolith.

Robot testing is currently underway on a roller top surface (see attachment) that would fill the gap between the moat side walls.

Team registration for the 2016 STEMley Cup Championship (along with the two other Ontario off-season events) is open now.

[ctt956]

Originally Posted by efoote868

Could get one of those screens with magnets on them.
http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Scree...et+screen+door

Remember what happened to the low bar fabric? That screen isn't nearly as thick, and while it may look like it would hold up, it's probably cheaply made like most infomercial products. And if a magnet on that stuck to something on a robot... wait...I have an idea! Fairly weak magnets that may or may not chase/stick to robots!

[bobbysq]

Originally Posted by ctt956

Fairly weak magnets that may or may not chase/stick to robots!

Our robot has steel plates on it. This would be fun.

[dmelcer9]

How about strip curtains (these are those plastic curtains at the car wash). They would reduce visibility, but not too much. I was thinking the curtains can be about twice as high as the low bar.

[frcguy]

Originally Posted by bobbysq

Our robot has steel plates on it. This would be fun.

Our robot is all aluminum! We are invincible!

[Gravity]

Originally Posted by frcguy

Our robot is all aluminum! We are invincible!

What about the bumpers?

[Doug Frisk]

Originally Posted by dmelcer9

How about strip curtains (these are those plastic curtains at the car wash). They would reduce visibility, but not too much. I was thinking the curtains can be about twice as high as the low bar.

Robots are allowed to be 54" tall, so any defense should be designed around that constraint and allow 60" of clearance or you've set a new arbitrary height requirement.