Legal Camera Pan/Tilt Mounts?

[Matt2081]

We were looking at mounting our camera on the pan/tilt mount from our old camera from 2007 (the camera that located the green light). Is it legal to use different camera mounts other than the one that came in the kit of parts?

[IndySam]

It is legal as long as it's COTS and I don't believe the 2007 is still available. Why do you want to use the old mount instead of the new one?

[Matt2081]

We want to use the old one because it seems to be more stable for us. The pan on it doesn't bounce around as much as the new mount.

So if the 2007 mount is no longer available, can we still use our it during this year's game?

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by matt2081

We want to use the old one because it seems to be more stable for us. The pan on it doesn't bounce around as much as the new mount.

So if the 2007 mount is no longer available, can we still use our it during this year's game?

no, but you can make your own version or purchase a different mount.

That is assuming it isn't available, I could be wrong.

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by matt2081

So if the 2007 mount is no longer available, can we still use our it during this year's game?

Originally Posted by IndySam

no, but you can make your own version or purchase a different mount.

Sam, that was true in previous years, but now the rules are a little looser. If a drawing is available that satisfies <R34-B>, it would still be legal to use.

[Matt2081]

So if I can just find the drawings of the 2007 camera mount, it would be legal to use?

[joek]

yes, if they're commonly availible

[rwood359]

Originally Posted by IndySam

It is legal as long as it's COTS and I don't believe the 2007 is still available. Why do you want to use the old mount instead of the new one?

We bought the mount from IFI this year. We prefer it because it doesn't mount the camera directly to the servo and should withstand the pounding that the camera is likely to take this year.

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by matt2081

We want to use the old one because it seems to be more stable for us. The pan on it doesn't bounce around as much as the new mount.

So if the 2007 mount is no longer available, can we still use our it during this year's game?

This happens to be the exact same reason for our team as well.
We like the old IFI pan/tilt much better than the current one.

It is still available at IFI as we just ordered and received them 2 weeks ago.
Not sure if its still posted on their site as I just put in a PO with the same info and price as in previous seasons, including 2009.

[Matt2081]

Well just in case there is a problem, our team drew up CAD drawings of all the parts, with dimensions. They are attached to this post. They are the parts for the FRC-PANTILT-01, made by IFI.

(So since these drawings are now posted online, are they legal to use in competition, regardless of whether or not they are COTS?)

[Al Skierkiewicz]

While we are on the subject, please remember that the camera mount is electrically tied to the battery return line (i.e. negative terminal of the battery) through the camera power cable. This is one of the common ways that the frame of the robot is tied to battery. Be sure to insulate the mounting somehow to prevent an electrical fault to robot frame.

<R43> All wiring and electrical devices, including all control system components, shall be electrically isolated from the ROBOT frame. The ROBOT frame must not be used to carry electrical current (e.g. this is necessary due to polarity reversals that occur under certain operating conditions such as during motor direction reversals).

The chassis for the cRIO-FRC and the supplied KOP camera have grounded enclosures. Under this rule (and for their protection), it is REQUIRED that they be electrically isolated from the ROBOT frame when installed on the ROBOT.

[apalrd]

All of this assumes you need a pan mount at all. You can pan the entire robot, so you might not need the pan mount.

[Matt2081]

We wanted to use the pan mount because it gave our robot a much wider line of sight. If the camera locked into a target, your robot could maintain that target potentially up to a 180-degree sight with a pan mount, but only about a 90-degree sight if the camera was fixed to the robot. I'm not sure how useful this addition will really be, but it at least gives our software team something to work on while we wait for the robot construction to be completed.