Sorry, I have another question:
Can we attach to the walls or floor of the platform? As long as we don’t damage it?
lauren
Added: is the HDPE considered the framing? Because if you attached only to the smooth polyethylene, not the ramp or acrylic or anything else would that still count?
GM28 Robots may not intentionally:
· Detach Parts (no connection at all to a robot);
· Remove the lids from the containers;
· Damage another robot;
· Tip over another robot;
· Attach themselves to the ramp mesh or framing material;
· Attach themselves to the railings/walls of any field structure.
Emphasis added where needed…so I’m going to say no on this one…
Rule GM31
The outer field barriers are safety features of the playing field and robots should not be designed to react against them. Reacting is grabbing or using the top of the field borders, the top of the driver stations, the top of the pipes at midfield, and the top of the platform/ramp polycarbonate sides with the intent of supporting a robot or robot part. It is also unacceptable to grab onto or push hard enough against multiple surfaces simultaneously in order to wedge and make immovable a robot. Contact with all of the barriers is acceptable. Pushing a container against a barrier is acceptable if the forces applied are not sufficient to damage the barrier or otherwise deform the playing field. Minor forces associated with activating contact sensors carried by the robots or similar minimal-force contact methods to detect and locate the field barriers are permissible.
If you’re thinking about attaching to the HDPE platform, this rule could possibly prohibit it. You cannot attach to the top of it.
I think this rule refers only to the clear polycarbonate sides. you cannot touch the top of the walls on the platform, but there is no rule that says you can’t attach to the HDPE platform itself.
I think that the way that GM28 and GM31 are worded means that we can attach to the HDPE surface.
Just my opinion, though. I assume that FIRST will clarify this.
Andy B.