Implementing Traction Control for an advantage in the 2009 game

[Rickertsen2]

Originally Posted by cgredalertcc

My final thought:

If the problem we face is that Traction=Normal Force * Coefficient of friction, and we have now way to increase our coefficient of friction why not increase the normal force? Last year 1741 used a very small vacuum to great effect in capturing balls. Why not apply the same idea to a robot? The area of the robot (28 x 38) is 1064 square inches if even 1/2 psi vacuum is applied to that area that is over 500 pounds of downward force. I know Bill has said that he doesn't like this idea, but he didn't like the idea of launchers last year, and look how many teams did that.

p.s. I know that last part isn't really traction control but its an idea I had that I wanted to throw out there. I guess the thought was who needs traction control if you aren't lacking traction.

Sounds like the legendary 1978 Brabam BT46B Formula 1 car which used an enormous fan underneath to generate a vacuum and more normal force. The car won the one race it ever competed in but was declared illegal