Hands off my bot

[Robert Cawthon]

Most times (at least on our older bots) we not only encourage touching (when off and no potential energy available) but usually allow other people to drive it, even young kids. We have a kill switch on the controller and someone with real fast reaction hovering over it. It has made a lot of kids' day to drive it for a few minutes. Usually, we have 3 or 4 people on the "field" when a kid is driving, fully aware that we may need to move fast, but able to redirect the robot or disable it quickly from the field. Yes, I got a few bruises on my shins, but it was worth it to see the smile on the kid's faces.

[Collin Fultz]

Originally Posted by Robert Cawthon

Most times (at least on our older bots) we not only encourage touching (when off and no potential energy available) but usually allow other people to drive it, even young kids. Yes, I got a few bruises on my shins, but it was worth it to see the smile on the kid's faces.

Totally agree. Once Atlanta is over, anybody is welcome to drive it, in my opinion. Obviously we won't let them take it off a cliff or do something stupid with it, but it's like a car or a boat to me, it was built to be driven, whether that be by students who didn't get to drive it during the season, parents who supported their kids during the six weeks where they never saw them, spouces (spices?) who let their significant others hang out with 30 high school kids instead of them for four months, sponsors, kids at a demo, grandparents, whoever. If letting them drive gets one kid to join a lego league team because "That robot was cool! That's what I want to do in HS." then it's served it's purpose. The robot is a vehicle.

[Robert Cawthon]

Indeed. A couple of years ago, we set up a booth at the University of Missouri, Kansas City for their Sally Ride (astronaut) Festival. It was designed to allow young girls to get an idea of what was available to them in college, leaning toward the sciences.The first kid to drive our bot was a girl about six or seven years old and when she finished, she was not interested in any of the other booths. She just wanted to watch the robot (even though she couldn't drive it any more because of a terribly long line and it became a little to crowded for the really young kids) and play with our rings. That, I think, was a recruit! and one happy kid. Most of the kids that get to drive it are hooked. (Even the grown up kids.)

[seannoseworthy]

We don't mind people touching our robot along as its not destructive (its almost a benefit with the floors in the school with the lunacy wheels cause it causes a static build up)

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Touching the robot imparts good luck. More touching, please! Robot must be off/de-energized.

[BenX02]

I carry a Katana with me at all times just in case some curious little kid reaches his hand out to touch our robot. That's how I feel about it.

[JaneYoung]

Any team worth their salt develops precautionary measures in every aspect of the robot, including rules regarding interactions with the general public from small children up through adults who are children at heart. The rules should be known by every member of the team and taught to new members as they enter the team, as to who is allowed to touch the robot and when and where.

Robots can definitely participate in show and tell. There can be hands-on opportunities created for specific times with specific guidelines and with team members in place to help support the goal. That is to help make the experience memorable and rewarding for the participants, on-lookers, and the team. It takes a little bit of work, preparation, and communication to make the experience a safe and happy one but that's nothing new, or shouldn't be, to FRC teams.

Opportunity presents itself consistently, it is up to the teams to be open to it and aware of its potential.