Disabling the robot in autonomous?

[IMDWalrus]

If the human player moves off of the pressure pad during autonomous, what would happen to the robot after (or if) it is reactivated when the player returns?

Would its autonomous mode restart? Would it just sit there and wait for the driver control to kick in?

I don't think this has been an issue in the previous autonomous modes, so I'm curious as to how it would work out...

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Try it..

Load up the new firmware and default code to last years bot. Make an auto mode that does whatever..

Make a dongle so you can turn on auto mode. When auto is running, turn the disable switch on. The robot should stop. Switch the disabled switch off. And.. theres your answer.

[Ryan M.]

Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri

Make a dongle so you can turn on auto mode. When auto is running, turn the disable switch on. The robot should stop. Switch the disabled switch off. And.. theres your answer.

Ah, but the pads could be disabled during auton, unlike your dongle. It may say in the rules someplace.

[Michael Hill]

I was under the assumption that all of the team members (drivers, coaches, and human players) have to be out of the players' area during autonomous mode. After that, the human players have to make a mad dash to their pads to enable their robots.

[Manoel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

I was under the assumption that all of the team members (drivers, coaches, and human players) have to be out of the players' area during autonomous mode. After that, the human players have to make a mad dash to their pads to enable their robots.

Yup:

Originally Posted by FIRST, Section 4, The Game, p. 7

<G06> No team member may pass the Starting Line in their TEAM ZONE until the conclusion of the
AUTONOMOUS PERIOD. All team members must stay within their alliance’s designated TEAM ZONE
during the match. If a team member passes the Starting Line before the autonomous period ends, except to
save their controls from a violent collision of a robot into the diamond plate, or leaves their TEAM ZONE
during the match, the team will be assessed a 10 point penalty. If a HUMAN PLAYER leaves the HUMAN
PLAYER ZONE at any time during the match for any reason other than personal safety, the team will be
assessed a 10 point penalty. However, if such actions are deemed by the referee to be so serious to have
affected the outcome of the match, the team may be disabled and disqualified.

[Goobergunch]

The problem is that G06 is contradicted by:

<G08>At the start of the match, HUMAN PLAYERS must stand on designated pressure pad sensors to one side of the field. The ROBOT for each team will be enabled only while the HUMAN PLAYER remains on the pressure pad. If the HUMAN PLAYER steps off the pressure pad, the corresponding ROBOT is temporarily disabled until the HUMAN PLAYER returns to the pad. The HUMAN PLAYER must place their feet on the sensor to activate it. Placing objects on the sensor to activate it is not permitted.

[IMDWalrus]

<G07> Team members may not touch any TETRAS during the AUTONOMOUS PERIOD. HUMAN PLAYERS
may use any TETRAS in the Team Zone once the AUTONOMOUS PERIOD ends. If a TETRA is touched
during the autonomous period, the team will be assessed a 10-point penalty.

It looks like human players can't touch the tetras themselves in autonomous mode; however, this still doesn't tell us what would happen.

I hadn't even noticed that contradiction in the rules. I wonder how FIRST will clear that one up. I'd guess that the human players being on the pads is acceptable (to ensure that the robots move), but we'll see...

[ttedrow]

Originally Posted by Goobergunch

The problem is that G06 is contradicted by:

I have check the Q&A system and no one has asked for a clarification of the HP position at the start of the autonomous period.

Tim Tedrow

[steven114]

In response to the original question - the robot controller, while disabled, continues to run as if it were not. The only difference is that there is a flag set in the data provided by the operator interface and the master processor holds all outputs to off. Same with autonomous - the user processor continues in exactly the same manner, except that there is a different flag set and the master processor holds all inputs to be off. As far as I know, there are no processor resets initiated at any time during the match.

What this means for your autonomous mode is that if it becomes disabled and then later reenabled, your robot is likely to proceed exactly as if it had never been turned off at all (except that it will be in a different position)

This is obviously not always true, but it's probably a good starting point. However, as everyone else has been pointing out, there's no substitute for testing!

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by ttedrow

I have check the Q&A system and no one has asked for a clarification of the HP position at the start of the autonomous period.

ID: 1099 Section: 4.2.2 Status: Answered Date Answered: 1/12/2005
Q: Must the human player start behind their driver station and then travel behind the field to their pad at the beginning of autonomous? Or, may they start behind their pad?
A: They will start on their pads.

[Mark McLeod]

The last (& first) time human pads were used during autonomous in 2003 the robot stopped if the human wasn't on the pad. Some teams actually used this as a method of deactivating their robot on purpose, so it would do nothing during autonomous.

I would suspect the robot might behave just as it would if the player stepped off during regular play. Stop and then continue if the player steps back on. In any case it's the way you design and write your code that will determine the action your robot will take.