I don’t know how uncommon this really is. But what tasks and games do you all think FRC robots were able to complete faster and better than a group of humans playing the game instead?
I’m trying to imagine a group of people scurrying up a Logomotion pole in less than a second.
Most games would be hard for humans to play due to height restrictions, etc.
Also, human vs robot games would be rather brutal if full-on contact is allowed. 2014 would be obnoxious as there would be robots slamming full force into humans on a regular basis. Perhaps it’s better to focus solely on which would be better at playing the game.
If we ignore all height, weight, and robot restrictions in general:
2016:
The best robots would be able to aim better than humans, but I think humans would still win. The response time would be better for coordinated humans if they miss shots. And athletic humans would climb every match.
2015:
I think humans win this too. They can easily access the upside down totes and totes on the step, and would get the autonomous bonuses every time. They would be able to recover from failures a lot better. Robots are definitely faster at can grabbing though, so maybe they would win.
2014:
Humans would be faster and would get the catch bonus every time. Humans win.
2013:
Tough one. Humans would probably win if they are allowed to carry frisbees and dump them into the top goal. Autonomous and ground pickup would be easy for humans. Watching 3 humans try to cram themselves on the 3rd level of the pyramid would be scary. Humans would get the 20 points from the colored discs every time though.
2012:
I can’t imagine humans would be any worse than robots in this one either. Humans would probably triple balance every time.
2011:
Robots win? Humans don’t have minibots to climb poles. Humans would be very fast at placing tubes, but the best robot alliances also were able to complete most logos relatively well.
2010: Humans win again. The robot rules were really restrictive that year, and for the purpose of this, I am ignoring robot rules.
2009: …?
2008: This one also seems easy for humans.
2007: Humans would place a whole lot of tubes, and two of them shouldn’t have a problem getting 12" off the ground at the end of the match.
Ok so basically: 2015 and 2011 would be the hardest games for humans to do better than robots, assuming humans are allowed to be humans.
Each match is two minutes long. Alliances receive one point for each of their floppies that are over the playing field, not in contact with the surface of the playing field, and less than 8 feet above the surface of the playing field. Floppies that are 8 feet or more above the playing field earn 3 points for the alliance it belongs to. Any robot on the puck multiplies its alliance’s score by 3. If a puck is entirely on one side of the dividing line that runs through the middle of the field, the alliance whose robot operator stations are furthest from the puck will multiply its score by 2.
Sounds hard for humans.
Edit: Match video
Many robots were able to lift large quantities of floppies to great heights. Maybe humans would figure out a way to do this. Perhaps one human holds another in the air, like how cheerleaders do it, and then the top person holds as many floppies as possible.
This is something that I think about way too much.
I’ll compare an alliance of top humans to an alliance of top robots for the past 4 years (the time that I’ve been in FIRST).
2017:
Humans and robots are pretty similar at gear scoring - robots will cross the field faster but humans won’t screw up delivery and intake as much. This probably evens out. Regardless, an Einstein alliance of robots or of humans will be able to get 4 gears, so this doesn’t matter a whole lot.
Humans have the advantage climbing, since they will (with a well designed robot) be able to consistently climb in the last ~3 seconds of the match, giving more time for scoring. However, as with gears, an Einstein alliance will get 3 climbs, so this doesn’t matter a lot.
The best fuel bots will far surpass the best humans. This will win the game for the robots.
Winner: Robots
2016:
Humans have a massive advantage getting the breach early. Low bar will be harder, but all others will be much easier.
Boulder wise, robots are at somewhat of an advantage, but the median human is much better at scoring than the median robot, so all three humans in the alliance will be able to contribute.
All three humans will get the climb every time, which is probably what will win it for them.
Winner: Humans
2015:
Canwars.
Winner: Robots
2014:
This one is a really tough call. Robots are faster, and probably slightly better at scoring (throwing those exercise balls is hard!), but I think that humans could make up for that in the truss catch bonus and their intaking abilities (humans will probably waste less time chasing around balls than robots do). Also, every human will be able to do a 1 hot goal auto, which is better than the robot’s auto. Overall though, I’d call this one a tie.
Winner: Tie
2013
A top alliance of robots would probably have a cross court shooter, which isn’t something that humans can match. In general, the rate of fire of robots isn’t something that humans can match. Humans will likely catch up in climbs and in coloured discs. That will make up the points for discs, as at least 2 humans could get the top climb. Probably three if you don’t care a ton about safety 
Winner: Humans
2015 is definitely the most one sided. 2014 is the closest.
I think you are wrong about humans not being able to match cross court shooters. 2 ultimate frisbee handlers, and one person down field to pick up any discs they don’t make could easily outpace the cross court shooters of 2013, and get the climb and coloured disk points.
In 2005, I think robots would win. Humans can only stack so high…
2006… Hah. Robots. Especially if they used the 2017 control system. Glowing green light to target below? Too easy. (Field counting the balls, now that’s another matter.)
2004 would go to the HUMANS, other than maybe some rogue hangs by the robots. You see, all the ball scoring was done by the humans anyway, other than the doublers… so no biggie there. Hanging, though, 50 points/robot or human… And the bar’s at 9’ up from the top step, not easy to jump-and-grab.