Short form of the question: Are there any restrictions on the equipment which the Drivers and/or Coach may utilize during the match?
Long form:
With the scoring apps that are available for i and Android, it might be beneficial for the drive team to have access to their phone and/or tablet to compute real-time scores during the match. Yes, a coach could keep tally in their head, but it may be easier to do so on a tablet. I was wondering if use of smartphones/tablets would be legal for the drivers and/or coach during a match.
If smartphones are allowed, would Google Glass (or similar HUD devices) be allowed as well? (I could see a super-awesome scoring app opportunity here…)
I believe computers were declared illegal for in-match use several years ago, but I’d like to revisit that as well-- could a computer be used for real-time scoring/strategy purposes, perhaps in conjunction with a head-mounted webcam?
Furthermore, what about non-computerized devices? For example, could the drivers wear a “wire” that connects them to someone in the stands? Does it make any difference if it’s the coach that wears the wire, or no?
What about non-electronic devices? Can I bring a clipboard with scoresheet to the field? (I’d assume so, but I just want to ensure that the answer to questions above doesn’t change the answer to this…)
And, finally, do the answers to the above change at all if we are talking about the college competition?
I did not see any rules blatantly prohibiting any particular devices, but I think it deserves a question (since use of electronic devices has been declined in the past). I am slightly hesitant to bring this up, because I don’t want to trigger huge restrictions (e.g. “you may only bring your (non-electronic) clothing, safety glasses, and remotes to the field; your shoes must have heels shorter than 6 inches” etc., etc.); however, I am curious to see what a drive team could use.
Thanks for reading a long question… 