Our team is interested in usingthis auto extending tape measure as part of its scaling mechanism.
As I asked in the title of the post, is it legal to use this in FRC.
Does it have an internal motor and batteries? If so then no. If not then it is legal. R29 & R31.
Does it follow all the game rules? Does it follow all of the robot rules? If yes then most likely yes. Try to look for yourself in the game manual before asking here.
Blanket statements like this can lead to illegal robots. There are more rules than just the battery rules and the frame perimeter rules.
I give up. Please read R29 & R31 carefully and if you still feel this is legal then please be prepared to explain why to your robot inspector.
Why do you think it is legal? I believe it violates R29 & R31:
The only motors and actuators permitted on 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition ROBOTS include the following:
The only legal source of electrical energy for the ROBOT during the competition, the ROBOT battery, must be a non-spillable sealed lead acid (SLA) battery with the following specifications:
I looked at that picture and immediately thought: Illegal.
The rules have already been cited above.
It has its own illegal motor and power. You’d have to modify it with FRC legal parts and power that you might as well get a regular one and motorize it yourself.
Though you may be able to use it in the Manual Tape Measure Mode (if power source/ motor were removed) -(And how do you prove that to the robot inspector?)
It no doubt contains 2 things that do not abide by the 2016 Game Manual rules (an internal power source that is not the allowed (1) one 12 volt robot battery, and a (some kind of), motor that is not on the approved 2016 FRC Motor list. I know it isn’t a Cim, a mini-Cim, or a Bag motor (there are many more motors allowed, both types/models/# of), and you would have to disassemble it to find out what type/model # of motor it is. I’m almost dead certain it won’t be on the approved list, but cannot swear to it on my life.
The Game Manual & FRC Q&A are your friends this time of year. Use BOTH!::rtm:: ::rtm:: ::rtm:: ::rtm:: ::rtm::