What protections are there for drivers/coaches interacting with their robots, both during the autonomous and the driver control periods?
The problem being the possibility that other robots might drive into the robot being interacted with, or one might say the interacting robot is obstructing the functional robots.
I have been considering this from a safety perspective, that students need to be protected from robots possibly harming them, but would appreciate an official clarification.
And, would intent, or how far a team has their robot extended out over gray tiles (but not touching) while interacting, have any bearing?
<SG6> prohibits teams from breaking the plane of the opposing Alliance Starting tiles. The intent of this rule is to mitigate the chances of Robots interfering with humans who are legally interaction with Robot.
Since interaction with Robots is so rare during the Driver Control Period, there is no rule preventing teams from entering the opposing Alliance Starting Tiles. Teams should always exercise caution while interacting with their robots.
I’m sorry but after further discussion with some teams in my area, I have to ask how this ruling relates to <S1>. Your previous response
seems to imply that the burden of safety is on the team interacting with their robot. Is this to say that an opposing robot which rams into a robot being interacted with, posing a risk to student safety, is free of responsibility?
Is the burden on both teams, in that opposing robots must not intentionally pose a risk, and that an interacting team must not effectively loiter or intentionally pose an obstacle?
Thank you for your response so far. Interaction can bring up a plethora of case by case rulings, but I do feel it important to establish a ruling on safety.
<S1> is always in play. Any Robot who is causing inherently unsafe conditions, like the one your described above, can be deemed in violation of this rule.
Yes, this is correct. All teams are responsible for creating safe conditions.