pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

[ahecht]

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[Tomasz Bania]

Originally Posted by ahecht

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How many of the IR sensors are there, 1 per side or is there more?

[BanksKid]

HOW DOES IT WORK???

i mean the whole counting laps thing in relatin to the game not how the sensor works.

[ahecht]

Originally Posted by Tomasz Bania

How many of the IR sensors are there, 1 per side or is there more?

There are several (4?) per side.

[yodameister]

If I remember correctly, there were 4 sensors

[Tomasz Bania]

Originally Posted by BanksKid

HOW DOES IT WORK???

i mean the whole counting laps thing in relatin to the game not how the sensor works.

If I read correctly in the manual, FIRST will provide your team with a lap counter for your robot at the beginning of each match.

[petek]

<R18> ROBOTS must use the LAP INDICATOR provided by the field personnel during all official tournament MATCHES. The LAP INDICATOR is attached to the stopper on the flag pole.

I'm thinking teams may want to pay more attention to the flag pole mount than usual this year. It would be a shame if your flag went flying (and the counter transmitter with it) and your laps don't get counted!

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by petek

I'm thinking teams may want to pay more attention to the flag pole mount than usual this year. It would be a shame if your flag went flying (and the counter transmitter with it) and your laps don't get counted!

Pete is certainly right -- you don't want to lose a flag this year!

Also, pay close attention to <R17>. The top of the flag holder must be 51 inches above the floor. The rule doesn't specify how much your flag holder height can deviate from this value, but it might not take much deviation for the lap counter to miss your robot going by.

[Mike Schreiber]

Is it smart to rely completely on the lap counter? Of course, I say this without knowing it's accuracy, and shutter at the murderous boredom a volunteer/ref would have counting laps all day

[Joe Hershberger]

Here's the system:

http://www.rclapcounter.com/

Read for details.

Cheers!
-Joe

[ahecht]

Originally Posted by Joe Hershberger

Here's the system:

http://www.rclapcounter.com/

Read for details.

Cheers!
-Joe

Nice find! At least we know this is a commercially proven system, although it's designed for a much smaller scale.

[rcflyer620]

According to the website it will accurately track up to 1/4 scale cars on a 24 ft wide track. That more than covers the size and width we are concerned with. One can only hope they have shaken out any bugs before they commit 1500+ teams to it!

[Wayne Doenges]

I've used these types of lap counters when I was racing R/C Trucks. The are very durable.
When you get clobbered by another vehicle or go flipping off the track the counters still work.
They are race proven

[Grogs]

Originally Posted by Richard

Pete is certainly right -- you don't want to lose a flag this year!

Also, pay close attention to <R17>. The top of the flag holder must be 51 inches above the floor. The rule doesn't specify how much your flag holder height can deviate from this value, but it might not take much deviation for the lap counter to miss your robot going by.

not just some random PVC tube zip tied to the bot anymore?