Answered: Fixing robots during match

eloveless · November 16, 2012, 7:25am

If you are on your “home” tile can you fix any problems you have during the match or not? Can you do it with or without tools if you can? Also, if you need to manipulate a bean bag b/c it is lodged in a wheel or something can you get it out if on the start tile?

Thank you,
eloveless

Karthik · November 28, 2012, 10:21am

Before posting in this forum, we urge you to please read the entirety of the VEX Sack Attack Game Manual, as it often answers your questions directly.

In this case, rules <SG4> and <SG5> specifically state what type of interaction is allowed. I’ve quoted these rules below, with pertinent sections bolded.

VEX Sack Attack Game Manual:

<SG4> During the Autonomous Period, Drivers and Coaches may handle their own Robot while the Robot is in contact with their own Alliance Starting Tile (i.e. the tile the Robot started the match on), within the following restrictions.
i. Drivers and Coaches may only interact with a Robot if it is touching their own Alliance Starting Tile and no part of the Robot is touching a gray foam tile, except the interaction allowed in
ii. If any part of a Robot is touching a grey foam tile, the only interaction that will be allowed is to bring the Robot fully into the legal Alliance Starting Tile, into a legal position as per <SG4i>
iii. After any legal interaction with the robot by Drivers and Coaches, and prior to the robot attempting to score or interact with Game Objects, the robot must be in a position such that it is touching the legal Alliance Starting Tile and no part of the Robot is touching a gray foam tile; a legal position as per <SG4i>. i.e. Before the Robot leaves the Alliance Starting Tile, Drivers and Coaches may not be touching the robot. If Drivers and Coaches touch the Robot again, it must be touching a legal Alliance Starting Tile and it must immediately be brought fully back onto the tile.
Note: Robots that hang over the edge of the Alliance Starting Tile, but do not touch any gray foam tiles, are considered to be in legal positions for interaction as per <SG4>

During contact with the Robot, the Drivers or Coaches may not intentionally manipulate or modify the position of any Scoring Objects relative to the Robot’s overall system, either by direct hand contact or indirect contact via the Robot. (i.e. it is acceptable to change the orientation of a Robot that includes Scoring Objects in it as long as the position of the elements relative to the Robot is not changed).

**Drivers or Coaches also may not change the configuration of the Robot in any way other than in the act of fixing the Robot (i.e. it is okay to reposition the robot relative to the field, but it is not okay to manually lift up the Robot’s arm, unless you are in the act of a repair). Any changes to the Robot’s configuration performed during the act of repair must be reversed before the Robot can leave the Alliance Starting Tile. **

The intent of this rule is to allow teams to fix Robots that are unable to move, to reposition and/or reorient Robots, and to activate additional autonomous modes by interacting with the Robot via sensors or buttons.

The intent of this rule is not to allow teams to manipulate their Robot in such a way that they are controlling the Robot via human contact or creating motions that lead to scoring.

Violations of this rule will result in a warning for minor offenses which do not affect the match. Egregious (match affecting) offenses will result in a Disqualification. Teams who receive multiple warnings may also receive a Disqualification at the head referee’s discretion.

system · January 3, 2020, 8:45pm