Functional or not so functional

[archiver]

Posted by control guy at 2/2/2001 10:00 PM EST


Student on team #250 from HVCC.



We can not use anything that is not kit regulation in terms of controls. However, we can use anything structurally for the creation of controls. Secondly, we are allowed non-functional additions or special effects. A force feedback device in a controller would not be functional that it would have any impact upon a match, but it would be a very interesting special effect. The question then becomes, would putting force feedback on a control be legal or not. Determining this would require answering the question, is it functional or not?

comments anyone?

[archiver]

Posted by Joe Johnson at 2/2/2001 10:21 PM EST


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.


In Reply to: Functional or not so functional
Posted by control guy on 2/2/2001 10:00 PM EST:



I vote that force feedback for the drivers are
functional devices and would not be legal. They serve
the function of helping the drivers drive.

Any other opinions?

Joe J.

[archiver]

Posted by Josh Vetter at 2/2/2001 11:16 PM EST


Student on team #548, Robostangs, from Northville High School and BOSCH.


In Reply to: Functional
Posted by Joe Johnson on 2/2/2001 10:21 PM EST:



But they have said we can use any joystick, so wouldn't that include a force feedback controller?
-Josh Vetter

[archiver]

Posted by Matt Leese at 2/3/2001 1:38 AM EST


Other on team #73, Tigerbolt, from Edison Technical HS and Alstom & Rochester Institute of Technology.


In Reply to: Re: Functional
Posted by Josh Vetter on 2/2/2001 11:16 PM EST:



The rules state you can use a forcefeedback joystick. Good luck getting it to force feedback anything. It's be nasty based on the resources available. Are there even flightstick compatible force feedback joystics or are they all USB? I really think it's a mute point because force feedback tends to be more of a hinderance than a help. Yeah, it's cool, but it's probably going to hurt your drivers not help them.

Matt

[archiver]

Posted by Ken Leung at 2/3/2001 3:31 PM EST


Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.


In Reply to: Functional
Posted by Joe Johnson on 2/2/2001 10:21 PM EST:



: I vote that force feedback for the drivers are
: functional devices and would not be legal. They serve
: the function of helping the drivers drive.

: Any other opinions?

: Joe J.

I agree totally. Being a driver last year, there are certain things on the field that's even ground for all drivers... such as relying on sight and sound, and we determine what our actions are going to be, based on those two factor.

Now, if forcefeed back are on the juystick, than that kinda change the driving style. Suddenly there is this third factor in the control that help the driver determine what's going on in the field.

What if, let's say, there is an arm on the robot, and there are mechanical as well as electronic device to help it from knocking into the robot's body. Well, with force feed back, it can vibrate once the arm is near the body, and the driver will know when to stop without having to see the robot.

This will be much easier than putting lots of limit switches along the path, and use the software to slow the arm down, while the driver is trying to look around other robot to see if the arm is slowing down or something is happening.

I am sure forcefeedback is nice and fun, but I can't say it's a non-functional feature.

[archiver]

Posted by Al Skierkiewicz at 2/5/2001 1:54 PM EST


Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Wheeling High & Rolling Meadows High and Motorola.


In Reply to: Functional or not so functional
Posted by control guy on 2/2/2001 10:00 PM EST:



My thoughts are that you cannot have power supply running into your human interface only outputs from the OI, inputs to the OI and ground. I don't think you could accomplish feedback without some additional power so my vote is "illegal".
Al