starting positions and penalties

[jamie_1930]

I'm currently at the Hartford regional in conetticut and I think a penalty was just missed. Can someone clarify if there have been any penalties regarding the starting positions of robots because I thought that if you were in the corners you need two points of contact with the airlock and the back of the trailer. For instance one side of the trailer needs to contact one post and another side contacting the post next to it, I took a look at the rules and they are not very specific on the subject.

[IndySam]

<G10> ROBOT Starting Positions – Prior to the MATCH, each TEAM negotiates within their ALLIANCE to select one of the three LAUNCH PADS of the ALLIANCE. Each ROBOT is then HITCHED to the TRAILER assigned to the selected LAUNCH PAD. The ROBOT and TRAILER are then placed entirely within the LAUNCH PAD, and positioned such that the TRAILER is in contact with the AIRLOCK or guard rail (as appropriate).

Rule says in contact now how much contact.

[Carol]

And the rule does not specify a penalty. The match shouldn't start until the robots are in proper position.

[Brandon Holley]

I started our robot in every match at Boston with only one side of the trailer touching a rail....that's it; no penalties called at all


the rule above states "contact"....contact is pretty self explanatory, something touching something

[jamie_1930]

Brandon holley has the idea of what I'm looking for, the contact with the field at the begining of the match because I think just contact with the field is a little vague of a definition compared to some of the definitions usually given by FIRST. So I want other teams to keep responding to this thread because I want to know has anyone encountered a penalty related to this or have you been able to pass through like brandon holley has.

[EricH]

There isn't a penalty, you just aren't supposed to start the match.

The refs may reposition your robot if you aren't positioned right.

[tdlrali]

Does it matter, really? First of all, as long as any contact with the air lock exists, it's a proper starting location, as per the rules. Second, do the extra 2 inches that you get from only one point of contact to two points of contact do anything for or against you?

[Roger]

From what I've seen -- as a spectator above the field, not as a driver or coach -- I've seen refs wave over a team member and have them adjust the robot to touch the wall or air lock, or to get it within the launch pad. I don't know how close the robot was to the wall. I think one time I've seen a ref move a robot slightly, maybe to get it within the launch pad or maybe to make sure the robot wasn't too "pre-aimed". The latter I think has been a rule for a couple of years so your autonomous wasn't too perfect.

There is no penalty -- the refs just won't allow the game to start until the field is ready.

If the game started and the robot wasn't against the wall, then the refs weren't checking very carefully. The refs get a ten point penalty. I'll grant you that the two inches might not matter -- it's just against the rules.

[jamie_1930]

Originally Posted by tdlrali

Does it matter, really? First of all, as long as any contact with the air lock exists, it's a proper starting location, as per the rules. Second, do the extra 2 inches that you get from only one point of contact to two points of contact do anything for or against you?

It may not seem like much, but being able to angle your robot can help your autonomous mode without you having to code much more. This doesn't work well with those of us that decided to make our dimensions the max, but teams that made smaller robots have an advantage. Although thanks guys that's what I was looking for.