YMTC - Flopper? in the ZONE?

Competition Rules/Strategy
1

RE: THIS POST

I’ve spared you the agony of sifting the Q&A for the pertinent items.
If you read them all, the last may lead you to the conclusion that “FLOPPERS” (what ever that really means) have been given an advantage.

What do you think?

ID: 978 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 1/11/2005
Q: Regarding <G17>: What are the parameters for being “in” a loading zone? (i.e., must some part of the robot be touching the yellow triangle, et cetera)

A: There are no yellow triangles in the loading zones. The robot base and / or drive train must be touching the loading zone. The intent of this rule is that you must be in the loading zone. By making it blatantly obvious that you are in the loading zone, you will draw far less attention from the referees.

ID: 1617 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 2/16/2005
Q: As related to answer 978, Is a robot base considered “in” the loading zone if it isn’t touching the hdpe 36" equilateral triangle? If so, What is considered part of the robot base?

A: No. The robot base is considered to be any load-bearing surface within the maximum 28" x 38" robot base size.

ID: 1698 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 2/18/2005
Q: Regarding the answer to ID 1617, do intermittent load bearing surfaces, such as outriggers or feet, “make” the base in the loading zone if they are within the 28" x 38" starting area, attached to the “base”, and are touching the HDPE?

A: If the intermittent load bearing surfaces fit within the 28" x 38" starting footprint of the robot when they are deployed and in contact with the HDPE, then yes. If they come in contact with the loading zone outside of the 28" x 38" starting footprint when deployed, then no.

ID: 1715 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 2/22/2005
Q: Regarding the answer to ID 1617, do vertical “fingers” (skirt, wire ties, etc.) strategically placed around a base for the sole purpose of touching the loading zone HDPE “make” the robot in the loading zone.

A: Yes. After attending and receiving feedback from several scrimmages this past weekend (2/19), we will allow robot-base appendages that are within and remain within the 28" x 38" dimensions to contact the loading zone and be legal.

ID: 1773 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 2/28/2005
Q: We designed and built a robot that would tip from 38x28 to 38x60. The “new” base and drive train is “blatantly obvious that our robot is in the LZ” and ”has a load bearing surface in contact with the hdpe”. Is our robot in the LZ?

A: If we understand your question correctly, yes. Robots that “flop” basically must declare a 28" x 38" of their robot to be the “robot base.” This is the section that the referees will always use to determine if your robot is in the loading zone.

ID: 1785 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 3/16/2005
Q: re Q&A 1773: May robots who permanently deploy and then never move base extenders such as wheelie bars ALSO declare a 28x38 box like the robots who flop (since these are functionally the same thing)?

A: No.

2

Wait, What are you talking about? Robots that flop over to a bigger base? or something flopping off the front of the bot? Maybe post a picture?

If your talking about the first, and they declare a 28"x38" box that is the front of there robot where there lift mechanism is, how is that any different from a non flopping bot that fits within the 28x38 box?

3

Flopper robot-- A robot that starts out in the box, but their auto mode consists of falling down and doing whatever. Example: Team 71 in 2002. The way this class of robots works is: they stand their robot on end to get it in the box, and the wheels are on one side. In the first few seconds, something trips and the robot falls onto its wheels (assuming it works right). The robot then does what it is supposed to do.

4

Well, when the HOTBOT is in it’s starting position, the ‘whiskers’ are resting on the floor within the box.

So, they are not only part of the initial starting envelope, but the part that rests on the floor, so they are legal.

5

i figured they meant flopper robots :yikes:
but i still don’t see where the “advantage” is? How is a declared 28X38 box on the robot different than a robot in the 28x38 size box by default?

6

Because floppers are entitled to declare their own footprint, while all others are not. They alone can declare themselves into the loading zone.
http://home.comcast.net/~jackjones/advantage.gif

7

Excellent diagram, explains it perfectly.