Lifting robots

[BobC]

Originally Posted by jskene

The pneumatic rules typically disallow any pneumatic component not shipped with the kit. This would include a fabricated airbag.

Other than being illegal, this is a good idea.

<R02> Energy used by FIRST Robotics Competition ROBOTS, (i.e., stored at the start of a match),
can only come from the following sources:
• Electrical energy derived from the onboard 12V and 7.2V batteries
• Compressed air stored in the pneumatic system, and stored at a maximum pressure of 120
PSI in no more than four Clippard Instruments tanks. This compressed air must be supplied
by the compressor included in the Kit Of Parts, and can not come from any other source.
• A change in the altitude of the ROBOT center of gravity.
• Storage achieved by deformation of ROBOT parts. Teams must be very careful when
incorporating springs or other items to store energy on their ROBOT by means of part or
material deformation. A ROBOT may be rejected at inspection if, in the judgment of the
inspector, such items are unsafe.

[Kevin Sevcik]

More to the point, FIRST has consistently ruled against these kinds of air containing devices consistently in the past. If it holds pressurized air, it's a pneumatic device. If it's a pneumatic device, it has to be in the kit or an approved extra cylinder.