Who ever thought they'd let us do it?

[JakeOfIron]

I'm sure we weren't the only team to give a big cheer that they were actually going to let us use projectiles, it's really something you'd never expect. I just wonder, like last year, when they had to put a cage over the alliance area after a robot almost hit someone with a tetra, what happens this year after the first person gets beaned in the head with a high-speed poofball? Sure, a poof ball isn't gonna hurt anyone, but what kind of new safety features (besides the 12m/s velocity limit) do the rest of you think will be on the field?

[Ian Curtis]

Nothing. If you're robot does something silly and launches balls at the crowd, it will be shut off. Done Deal.

And anyways, the crowd is far enough that ball would barely be in motion by the time it reached the wall, although I imagine they'll have a warning out in front of the arena "Be forwarned, foam balls may fly into the audience at any time".

[NiGhtMarE_AnGeL]

that just cracks me up...to think that a ball might beem at someone's head..
i know that it wont really happen (unless youre still in the building process and it occurs back at home)

but still...i get a kick out of things like that.

[BRosser314]

even if there is a cannon gone wild or a cannon that shoots the poof ballsjust left or right of the target i dont think they will disable the robot from comp. i think they might make the area around the field larger because the poof balls cant fly further then 50 ft given the speede limit. also u have to look at how many of us played dodgeball with the balls this weekend and the weekend to come, i can take a hit to the head and still only fell but not enought to injure u, also considering us humns were throwing the balls faster then the 26.8mph

[JakeOfIron]

I'm definitely with you there Rosser, they're made of foam, but people are crazy, and FIRST can't risk getting in trouble for any head-beaning done by our robots. Although the speed limit will protect the crowd, I didn't really think about that.

and Curtis, Shut down? don't you think that'd be a bit much? I'm not talking about someone shooting at the crowd on purpose, or even accidentally pressing the 'fire' button at the wrong time. Sure, people will have safeguards or an auto-override system to anything, but there's still going to be the possibility that a ball is going to miss the field. Plus, don't you think they'd have mentioned it in the penalty rules, like they did for hitting a robot in the human-loading zone last year?

[lilmex_pink]

: [quote=JakeOfIron]I'm sure we weren't the only team to give a big cheer that they were actually going to let us use projectiles, it's really something you'd never expect. I just wonder, like last year, when they had to put a cage over the alliance area after a robot almost hit someone with a tetra, what happens this year after the first person gets beaned in the head with a high-speed poofball? Sure, a poof ball isn't gonna hurt anyone, but what kind of new safety features (besides

[jkoci]

i think that the most they will do is just a net in front of the crowds, like the ones you see in baseball fields. I don't think that it is likely to reach the stands, but it might happen.

[lilmex_pink]

I totally agree with you. It would be be kinda funny to see some one get hit with a poof ball. But not really.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by BRosser314

even if there is a cannon gone wild or a cannon that shoots the poof ballsjust left or right of the target i dont think they will disable the robot from comp.

To clarify, I didn't mean that. I meant disable you for the rest of that match.

[UrsaMNet]

my worry is less that the audience will get hit (at least not with any force), but rather that the Judges, Camera Staff or IFI will get pegged. The cameras especially can get pretty close to the fields...

[BRosser314]

Originally Posted by iCurtis

To clarify, I didn't mean that. I meant disable you for the rest of that match.

Im Sorry on what i said, but what i meant was that i dont think they would disable a robot from a round if there was a bad shot that went to the left or the right of the target. Besides if FIRST made a game where we have to shoot balls in the air the prob thought about the layout of the arenas and if there will be any nets or other safety precautions. Just be thankful that the balls that are being shot aren't from 2004 (FIRST Frenzy) those balls hurt when u would get him with them. Also you have to take in account for the raised level of defense that is going to be played this year and if a bot were to hit another when it was shooting, what would happen in that situation?

[Koko Ed]

I think the reset crew will be kept quite busy this year shagging wayward shots all day long.
They'll get thier execise that's for sure.

[Mark Pettit]

Being at an Aim High match will not be any different than going to a hockey game. At a hockey game, keep your eye on the puck at all times. At Aim High, stay alert!

[atomikitten]

Projectiles aren't a big deal when they're foam balls. And forget being hit by a tetra, a whole robot nearly fell on me during an off-season competition. I didn't mind; no harm was done.
Our team has already attacked each other with our one Poof ball, and none of us are damaged as a result. If needed, they'll net the entire arena, but I doubt they'd even go that far. Anyone who complains about flying foam balls should not be involved with FIRST anyway.

[artdutra04]

Please, people ... these are NERF balls! Do you really think that they will really do ANY damage to a robot or person?

A nine pound tetra or a heavy thirteen inch playground ball is one thing, but a 183 gram soft, squishy foam nerf ball is another.