Define "ROBOT"

[Alex Golec]

Battery cable, distribution block, fuse panel with one 20 amp fuse, the RC, a backup battery, and the associated wires to connect them.

For this year, add in a 51" high flagpole, a PWM cable that runs up to that flagpole, and bumpers that cover two-thirds of the perimeter of the robot, and you'll have yourself the bare minimum.

-Alex Golec

[dtengineering]

First of all, I'm personally just fine with leaving the rule as it is right now... or at least as it was before GDC's recent ruling. If a team can build two functional but totally different configurations and keep it within all weight limits and rules, then let them go for it. But since I have had plenty of space to express my opinions in that other thread, I'll now stick to the question at hand.

To achive the goal that FIRST appears to wish to achieve, I would simply add:

When considering multiple, removable mechanisms, at least x% of the mass of the robot must be common to all possible configurations.

I would suggest 30-40% would be a reasonable number for X. This fraction of the overall mass would represent "the robot". Thus a team could still designate what constituted the robot... and swap out drive bases, etc, but there would be some significant common core between all posible configurations.

Jason

[AdamHeard]

It's an awesome idea, and i love 1519 for doing it.


But a less risky approach would have been a common base;

The base would somehow switch between ackerman and tank drive with an arm.

That is more of a dual configuration that the intent of the rules seem to want. Rather than stretching the intent to two full robots.

[Stephen Kowski]

what 111 had in 2001 was something that would qualify here....these are two robots, pretty obvious to me: "I know it when I see it" -Associate Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart

Technically (if everyone wants to play that game) you could define it as one robot, and if I tried real hard there are a lot of things that I could define as a robot, but a lot of that wouldn't make it onto the field.

I give 1519 credit for trying (never know until you try) but this is not the first time someone has been burned after their robot is already built (Truck Town Thunder I'm looking your way) it is very disappointing for 1519 I'm sure.

Making new threads and going over it repeatedly isn't going to solve anything (look at some of the collaboration discussions for several years) just take the decision and move past. Remember that your time is a scarce resource.

good luck everyone