Building an arena controller

[cdawzrd]

The controller will operate the field the same way the IFI stuff does--keep the robots disabled until the match is started, then enable autonomous mode. Disable does prevent auton mode from doing anything, as it affects the master controller in addition to the user processor, but that won't be an issue.

Also, each individual station will be controllable in terms of disabling robots before or during the game. We will have e-stop buttons and disable switches on the master controller to disable robots for hazards or violations.

You can build floor mats with a little floor mat, a piece of plexi or aluminum to cover the bottom (insulate the metal though) and some strips of metal. Glue one strip to the bottom of the mat, then one stripto the underlying material (wood/plexi/insulated metal). These wires go out to connectors to the RC dig ins on the master controller. Then, you put strips of nonconductive material around the conductive strips, springy stuff like folded pieces of cardboard or something else that is springy but low-profile.

I have tested the mat idea before for use in a haunted house :-D it works. We will probably have overrides in case the mats fail during a match.