The kids on the team I am mentoring for were pretty excited about the cathode lights that came in the kit of parts and attached them to this years robot. However, when we got to the Washington DC play day at Luke C. Moore academy, one of the volunteers (who seems as though he had been trained to be a ref for this year) warned us that the green cathode lights may not be allowed on the robot as it may interfere with teams using cameras to track the trailer hitch in autonomous mode.
Does anyone know for sure the legality of attaching the cathodes to the robot?
The rule is <R02-C>. No rule against the lights, but if they interfere with another robot’s camera you may be asked to turn them off.
[quote=<R02>]<R02> ROBOT parts shall not be made from hazardous materials, be unsafe, or cause an unsafe condition. Items specifically PROHIBITED from use on the ROBOT include:
A. Shields, curtains, or any other devices or materials designed or used to obstruct or limit the vision of any PILOTS and/or COMMANDERS and/or interfere with their ability to safely control their ROBOT
B. Speakers, sirens, air horns, or other audio devices that generate sound at a level sufficient to be a distraction or hindrance affecting the outcome of a MATCH C. Any devices or decorations specifically intended to jam or interfere with the remote sensing capabilities (including vision systems, acoustic range finders, sonars, infra-red proximity detectors, etc.) of another robot (i.e. changing ROBOT color to confuse opponent’s vision system)
D. Lasers of any type
E. Flammable gasses
F. Any devices intended to produce flames or pyrotechnics
G. Materials that off-gas noxious or toxic gasses
H. Materials that produce hazardous inhalable particles
I. Caustic chemicals
J. Hydraulic fluids or hydraulic components
Teams should provide MSD Sheets for any materials they use that might be considered questionable during ROBOT inspection.[/quote]
(emphasis mine)
The words “specifically intended” muddles it a bit.
The other confusing part about this is “changing color”, which would seem to imply that if your lights were on during the whole match, they would be legal. Except that doesn’t make any sense.
Thanks for the clarification on the rule, it seems to me as though the only way to have intent to do something like that with the lights would be to mount them facing outward and move them from match to match to line them up with cameras.
I guess we’ll see how it plays out at the regional though.
