Interesting Q/A's

[Andrew Blair]

Especially since... isn't the 2006 OI compatible only with the 2006 brain? [Also raised eyebrow ]

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

Q:[/b] 6.3.5 states "FIRST will allow you to keep all of your robot controls ...to continue to work on your programming.

+

A:The Robot Controller ... must be shipped with the robot

[Spock][raise eyebrow] Highly illogical! [/raise eyebrow] [/Spock]

Yeah, and the "all" part is even bolded.

[FlyingDutchman]

ya this has nothing to do with the subject but I need help trying to post or what ever it is that you have to do to put a question on the website... thanks

[AmyPrib]

ya this has nothing to do with the subject but I need help trying to post or what ever it is that you have to do to put a question on the website... thanks

You must be a mentor and team main contact to receive the login required to post on the FIRST Q/A system.

Getting back to interesting Q/A's.

Question: (regarding Chairman's)
What is exactly meant by an electronic signature? Can a signature be scanned in or do we need to actually purchase a certificate with a signature?

Answer:
Two members of the team, an adult and a student leader need to read the submission and then type their names into the spots provided indicating they have read the submission and agree that it is complete and accurate. No scanning or special software required.

[FlyingDutchman]

I am having trouble with posting a thread can you help me

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by FlyingDutchman

I am having trouble with posting a thread can you help me

Repeated for emphasis:

Originally Posted by AmyPrib

You must be a mentor and team main contact to receive the login required to post on the FIRST Q/A system.

Your Main Contact should have received a username and password for this purpose. If you lost it for whatever reason, contact FIRST.

[FlyingDutchman]

hey thanks and what reginal are you at my team is at Denver and Portland

[Cory]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

Q:[/b] 6.3.5 states "FIRST will allow you to keep all of your robot controls ...to continue to work on your programming.

+

A:The Robot Controller ... must be shipped with the robot

[Spock][raise eyebrow] Highly illogical! [/raise eyebrow] [/Spock]

Ken, read the entire section you removed from your quote. Mainly the one I've bolded below.



Q: 6.3.5 states "FIRST will allow you to keep all of your robot controls (Operator Interface, OI power supply, joysticks, etc.) and not ship them with your robot on Tuesday, 2/21/2006. This will allow you to continue to work on your programming. If you decide not to ship controls with your robot, please rememberyour initial competition. FIRST does not have replacement controls."

Just to be sure, does the Robot Controller fall under the "etc." mentioned in 6.3.5?

A:The Robot Controller is considered part of the robot, not part of the operator interface. As such, it must be shipped with the robot prior to the shipping deadline.

I don't see any confusion here.

[KenWittlief]

The confusion?!

The code is loaded into the robot controller, not the user interface.

If you dont hang onto the robot controller you will have nothing to load your code into, so you cant test it, work on it, debug it - nothing?

what can you do with the user interface if you dont have the robot controller? Nothing!

So whats the point of keeping half the control system? Teams that have money can buy a second robot controller. Teams that dont get to sit on their hands for 4 weeks.

[GaryVoshol]

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=674

Zip Ties

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Are we allowed to use zip ties on our robot?


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Yes. After all, what would the world be without zip ties!

Only slightly different than what the world would be without duct tape!

[AmyPrib]

Guess I'm still not sure how they will accurately count balls in flight. Seems like it would be easier to just say, any balls not in the goal before the buzzer won't count. As a ref, I wouldn't really want to keep track of that, or be in a situation where I missed one, or added one incorrectly. Maybe they expect to have dedicated volunteers to only watch for that. Wish they would clearly state how. I can see a lot of debate happening on this type of instance, esp if it affects automode results (a last sec ball in flight, not detected by the goal yet, not sure how fast human interaction can happen there).

I guess that 5sec counting delay is only after automode, if it detects balls in the goal. Seems like it should do the same for other periods... same concept... we'll see.

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=609

Question:
As a followup, can you please clarify how balls in flight will still be counted after period 2 especially, if there is no delay in turning off the counter? Will the scoring counter still be active for a short time after the period ends to allow those balls in flight to be counted once they reach the goal? Otherwise, I am not clear on how balls in flight will be counted.

An answer to a previous question like this (specifically for automode) said if balls were in the center goal, but not yet funneled in the chute, it would trigger a 5sec delay to count them. However, that does not address balls in flight, as they would not yet be in the center goal.

Answer:
There is no five second delay after the second or third period. If ambiguity in the automated scoring is created by rapidly scoring robots, human intervention will be used to ensure that all balls in flight at the end of the period (and only those balls) are counted.

[lukevanoort]

Originally Posted by AmyPrib

Guess I'm still not sure how they will accurately count balls in flight. Seems like it would be easier to just say, any balls not in the goal before the buzzer won't count. As a ref, I wouldn't really want to keep track of that, or be in a situation where I missed one, or added one incorrectly. Maybe they expect to have dedicated volunteers to only watch for that. Wish they would clearly state how. I can see a lot of debate happening on this type of instance, esp if it affects automode results (a last sec ball in flight, not detected by the goal yet, not sure how fast human interaction can happen there).

I guess that 5sec counting delay is only after automode, if it detects balls in the goal. Seems like it should do the same for other periods... same concept... we'll see.

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=609

You have to remember that the other periods (except 4) only have one goal active. So, if redabot shoots into their goal, then it switches, that goal can count the balls since it has nothing else to do. The only issue would be if a robot fired after the period ended.

[AmyPrib]

Originally Posted by lukevanoort

You have to remember that the other periods (except 4) only have one goal active. So, if redabot shoots into their goal, then it switches, that goal can count the balls since it has nothing else to do. The only issue would be if a robot fired after the period ended.

I realize that one goal is active during the 2 middle periods. My point is, when the buzzer sounds, your goal is no longer active. So, if you shot a ball a split second before the buzzer sounded and it goes in, how do they count it? The system can't count it. Human interaction they say, but I just wonder how and how well that's gonna work...first having to be positive it shot before the buzzer, and second to be sure the amount is counted right. The same goes for automode... if a ball is in flight, it won't trigger any score delay, so there's a potential of incorrect automode score.

I feel like I'm missing something obvious, but I just don't see how it will work well to have human real-time scoring for these situations. Refs already have enough to watch. No one else has this concern?

I don't really want to debate it, but if anyone has a confirmed answer for that specifically, let me know.

[Winged Globe]

Didn't see this anywhere yet...

From http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=323

Update: Jumping when shooting the balls is permitted, as long as it is done in a safe manner. Extreme jumping that is potentially hazardous to the team members or field personel, or damaging to the robots, will be considered a violation of Rule <S01>.

One of very few rule reversals this season?

[GaryVoshol]

I don't believe it: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread...ghlight=holder

Originally Posted by Q

Yet another flag holder question

Two questions came up as we fabricated the flag holder today:

1) Can the holder be drilled/swiss-cheesed/lightened/black-magic-voodoo-ed, so long as it is still 12" and still of 1/2" PVC pipe with a cap at the bottom?
2) Can the holder be painted?

Originally Posted by A

No and yes.

So what's wrong with a weight-lightened flagpole holder? And why tell us this only now, the day before ship?

Originally Posted by 5.3.2.3

<R13> Robots must use one of the two colored bicycle flags provided at the event queuing location to display their alliance color (red or blue). Each robot must include a 12 inch long, 1/2” ID PVC tube, capped at the bottom, permanently mounted on the robot such that when a 3 foot long, 1/4 inch diameter flagpole is inserted the top of the flagpole is no higher than 6 feet from the ground and the top of the flagpole is at least 12 inches higher than any other point on the robot (+/- 1/2 inch). The flagpole must be mounted such that it starts the match, and remains, approximately vertical. The flagpole receptacle must be statically mounted, and not articulated or actuated.

I have the utmost respect for the GDC, and don't like to criticize or second guess them. But why does this matter, as long as you have a functioning flagpole holder according to <R13> above? I predict a lot of machines will come into inspection with reduced-weight tubes.