Given how the tarmac is a bit of a tight fit when planning autos (and doubly so at a single-day event), I’m looking into how we can set up the robot anywhere and then tell the odometry it’s position before each match.
However, I wanted to confirm if anyone knew of rules preventing such procedures? Specifically using a laser measure as it’s very fast to do.
The blue box under H301 only says you can’t delay the match due to measurements
d. use of alignment devices that are external to the ROBOT (e.g. a DRIVE TEAM
could bring and use a measuring tape, as long as there is no delay to the
MATCH by doing so), and
And H303 states that it applies during a match (emphasis mine)
*You can’t bring/use anything you want. The only equipment that may be brought to the ARENA
and used by DRIVE TEAMS during a MATCH is listed below
Based on the above interpretations, it looks like our laser measuring tool should be legal. Are there additional concerns regarding such devices due to the presence of a laser?
(I know this is probably better suited for Q&A, but wanted to check CD first since it’s quicker and easier)
Just in case it’s not something teams already know, you can’t count on both the red and blue sides of the field being geometrically identical. Our experience at week 0, as well as in previous seasons, is that auto routines that work on the red side of the field won’t work on the blue side. Though you may get lucky, be prepared to independently tune your autos for red and blue, and to run the correct version depending on which side of the field you are playing.
It is probably a decent question to ask on Q&A, or during the drive team meeting at the beginning of the event. I personally would think that powered measurement devices do not fall under any of the categories allowed by H303 for usage during a match which may further imply that it is not allowed to be brought to the arena at all, but I am also not in a position to decide what the rules mean.
My interpretation is based on the usage of “and” in H303 (emphasis mine)
The only equipment that may be brought to the ARENA and used by DRIVE TEAMS during a MATCH is listed below
Ask again. The rule about alignment/setup devices specifically includes battery-operated. If you use it and the technician takes it back to the cart, what part of the rules is violated?
Unfortunately it was a short zoom call and I only got to the lab in time to catch the tail end.
I might try checking again once we arrive since per the blue box unless it poses a safety concern (which was more what I’m interested in) it should be legal.
What’s the most appropriate way to go about asking again (not super familiar with ref communication etiquette)?
I seem to recall the rules in prior years, (I acknowledge that prior rules don’t apply to this year) relating to lasers limited these to Class 1 devices.
Since Ontario is doing single-day events, the driver’s meeting Q&A was over zoom today (that’s where I got the first answer)
I’ll talk to students and see who’s comfortable going to the question box.
Could you not power the robot on at a known position & location, and then push the robot to its starting location so that the robot pose will be updated as you push it and the robot knows its absolute starting position? Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, I have never had an opportunity to test any auto code because my team has never installed encoders in the drivetrain no matter how much I ask
You could, but odometry can be a bit unreliable if there is any sideways motion the encoders cannot measure. It would also take far longer than a standard tape measure.
Related question but not the same: during Practice Day at regionals there is time set aside for on-field calibration. There should be no problem with using a laser measuring device to establish the location of set points then, right?
