testing Auton and IR sensors at events

[KenWittlief]

At the last round of regionals - were teams able to test auton mode anywhere besides on the field during practice time?

last year at most events people pulled their bots back into the service areas of the arenas, some even had sections of carpeting to test auton mode on

where teams able to do that this year?

what about testing your IR sensors? I take it there are restrictions on using IR beacons in the pits? so you dont interfere with the IR beacon light on the playfield?

were teams allow to use test beacons elsewhere? back in the corroidors or other sections of the facilities?

[KenWittlief]

no one has any input on this? Im really hoping we will be able to test our auton mode off the playfield on thrusday

are any teams planning to set up a test field or partial field at the pittburgh regional? I have not been to a pittsburgh event before, so I dont know what the facilities are like.

[Mark McLeod]

I got to visit Trenton on Saturday and didn't see anyone running IR.
Line sensors, encoders, gyros, and pure dead-reckoning seemed to be it.
No beacon's anywhere but the field, and no convenient isolated areas.

J&J did have a practice field area.

We should probably develop a receiver version attuned to the IR range finder on a camera, or a TV remote for testing in the pits.