<R12> 72" x 72" Size Restriction

[Pat Fairbank]

Originally Posted by Richard

The test will probably be to place the arm or extension so that it is at its maximum reach, then verify that the robot still fits within the 72" wide x 72" deep limit.

I don't think this kind of test would work. The rule states that "a ROBOT may expand up to a maximum width of 72 inches and depth of 72 inches", not that the robot must fit within such a limit at maximum extension.

If a team were to design a robot with an arm that was mechanically capable of exceeding the limit, but either programatically limited the horizontal extension of the arm or trained their operators to always stay within the limit, it wouldn't appear to be a violation of <R12>.