Ruler of the Ramp Q & A

[archiver]

Posted by Dodd Stacy.

Engineer on team #95, Lebanon Robotics Team, from Lebanon High School and CRREL/CREARE.

Posted on 1/18/2000 7:36 AM MST



FYI all, a recent exchange with Eric:

>Eric,
>
>We're trying to clarify what interactions with the opponent's machines are
>disallowed in the realm of 'hanging from the bar.' I appologize profusely
>for the lawyerly sound of some of the questions, but FIRST really needs to
>clarify this area completely or the refs will go crazy adjudicating the
>matches.
>
>QUESTION. A15 says we may NOT climb up on our opponent who is hanging on
>the bar and hoist ourselves off the ground (although we may climb for 10
>points on our hanging ally). May we intentionally push, pull, lift, ram,
>attack the 'bar grabber', or otherwise interact with a hanging opponent
>from a position on the floor or the ramp, with the intention of removing
>him from the bar or bringing him into contact with the ramp surface?

You may push and bump an opposing robot to try to get it out of a scoring
position on the bar. See Rule GM21. You may not try to lift an opposing
robot off the bar, per Rule DQ12. Pulling on a robot is likely to cause
damage to the robot and could be viewed as entanglement or trying to hoist
yourself up by an opposing robot, both of which are disallowed. See Rule
DQ3, and A15.

>QUESTION. May we make incidental contact with a hanging opponent when
>attempting to get on the ramp or to hang from the bar ourselves?

Yes.

>QUESTION. May we reach over a hanging opponent and grab/hook/clamp the bar
>in an effort to hoist our machine off the floor, if that entails our
>'grabber' coming down on, covering, or otherwise contacting the opponent's
>'grabber?' In other words, can an opponent make the entire bar or portions
>of it off limits to us by simply covering the bar with a part of their robot?

Yes, it is ok to attempt to raise yourself by clamping onto their grabber
if their grabber is blocking your access to the pipe. Note that we make
the distinction between the grabber and the 'arm' that leads up to the
grabber, so that you are not allowed to try to pull yourself up by pulling
on their arm or the rest of the robot. The referees will use a
common-sense definition for applying this.

>QUESTION. Are we disqualified if our efforts to hoist our robot up on the
>bar incidentally result in a hanging opponent falling from the bar or
>contacting the ramp surface?

No, you would not be disqualified for this.

-Eric


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