<R12> 72" x 72" Size Restriction

[Madison]

Originally Posted by Pat Fairbank

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>.

This sort of litmus test cannot work this season, as the rules explicitly state that robots are permitted to extended beyond this limit while in their home zone. It's entirely likely that many robots will have mechanisms that extend beyond 72", possibly even serving multiple functions, and that there's no comprehensive or accurate way of determining -- on or off the field -- whether this rule has been violated.