Official Team Update #2! 1/15/2010

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

I'm gonna have to disagree here... They changed <R19> in a big way. Not being able to intentionally affect balls above the bumper zone, while not POSESSING them is huge.



define 'a specific manner'. If i design a robot that looks approximately like this:

|\
| \
|  \
|   \
|    \
|     \
________

and park it in the direction that would deflect balls toward my end, have i violated this rule as updated in TU#2?

I believe your design as shown would be perfectly legal. Now, if the angle of that deflection was adjustable, and your deflector was in motion when a ball contacted it (say you're trying to "swat" the ball forward with the deflector by changing its angle relative to the robot), that would not be permitted per the <G45> blue box:

<G45> Blue Box 
MECHANISMS are considered "active" if they are in motion
relative to the ROBOT while in contact with the BALL.
Resetting or moving MECHANISMS while not in contact with
a BALL is permitted as the MECHANISMS are not considered
"active."

You are free to adjust the deflection angle when your deflector is not in contact with any balls. You are also free to drive your robot around with the deflector in a chosen, fixed angle.


As far as <R19-2> - let's be real here. How does a ball "extend 3" inside" a flat PLANE? It doesn't. A flat deflector above the bumper zone is legal, as long as it is not in motion relative to the robot any time it is in contact with a ball.

I believe the GDC is referring specifically to chutes, channels, funnels, diverters and other above-bumper zone structures designed to more precisely control the direction of ball movement. A diverter that can be pointed toward one goal or the other *would* be legal, as long as the diverter walls envelop 3" of the ball's height or less. Such designs are allowed, but the 3" limitation is in place to prevent *too* much control. Send a ball down a high-walled waterslide versus a typical playground slide with short rails. Which one keeps the ball down the intended path better? The waterslide. Which one is legal for competition use? The playground slide.