05-01-2008 17:59

Tomasz Bania

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

How many of the IR sensors are there, 1 per side or is there more?

05-01-2008 18:02

BanksKid

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

HOW DOES IT WORK???

i mean the whole counting laps thing in relatin to the game not how the sensor works.

05-01-2008 18:09

ahecht

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

There are several (4?) per side.

05-01-2008 18:26

yodameister

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

If I remember correctly, there were 4 sensors

05-01-2008 19:16

Tomasz Bania

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

If I read correctly in the manual, FIRST will provide your team with a lap counter for your robot at the beginning of each match.

05-01-2008 19:35

petek

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

I'm thinking teams may want to pay more attention to the flag pole mount than usual this year. It would be a shame if your flag went flying (and the counter transmitter with it) and your laps don't get counted!

05-01-2008 19:43

Richard Wallace

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

Pete is certainly right -- you don't want to lose a flag this year!

Also, pay close attention to <R17>. The top of the flag holder must be 51 inches above the floor. The rule doesn't specify how much your flag holder height can deviate from this value, but it might not take much deviation for the lap counter to miss your robot going by.

05-01-2008 20:45

Mike Schreiber

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

Is it smart to rely completely on the lap counter? Of course, I say this without knowing it's accuracy, and shutter at the murderous boredom a volunteer/ref would have counting laps all day

05-01-2008 21:03

Joe Hershberger

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

Here's the system:

http://www.rclapcounter.com/

Read for details.

Cheers!
-Joe

05-01-2008 21:11

ahecht

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

Nice find! At least we know this is a commercially proven system, although it's designed for a much smaller scale.

05-01-2008 21:34

rcflyer620

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

According to the website it will accurately track up to 1/4 scale cars on a 24 ft wide track. That more than covers the size and width we are concerned with. One can only hope they have shaken out any bugs before they commit 1500+ teams to it!

06-01-2008 16:29

Wayne Doenges

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

I've used these types of lap counters when I was racing R/C Trucks. The are very durable.
When you get clobbered by another vehicle or go flipping off the track the counters still work.
They are race proven

06-01-2008 21:38

Grogs

Re: pic: IR Lap Counter on the Manchester Kickoff Field

not just some random PVC tube zip tied to the bot anymore?