Answered: <SG6> Clarification

[1501_vince]

Hi Karthik,

Was refereeing an event this past weekend and a few things came up on loading as per SG6. My interpretation of the intent of the rule was so that the robot could function without a student forcing a ball into a scoring position.

https://vexforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9684&stc=1&d=1444920519
Ruled illegal at this event. The ball was being pushed from inside the robot into the flywheel. Would this have been legal?

https://vexforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9685&stc=1&d=1444920519
I deemed this one legal as I had seen in in other competition videos. Another co-referee disagreed saying it was introducing energy by dropping the ball onto a ramp. Thoughts on this?

https://vexforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9686&stc=1&d=1444920519
This one was tricky. Students from multiple teams would push a game object into a roller-intake mechanism located at the floor level (not “on” a robot). If the ball was not pushed in, the robot would have needed to move laterally to intake the ball. In scenario C, the ball first touches the loading zone then is (intentionally or not) pushed into the robot. In scenario D, the ball does not touch the loading zone but touches the robot on initial contact (although it wouldn’t have been able to enter the robot without pushing inward).
Is scenario C or D legal?

Thanks!

[Karthik]

Ruled illegal at this event. The ball was being pushed from inside the robot into the flywheel. Would this have been legal?

Provided that this was done legally and safely, it should be ruled legal. However, I have immediate concerns safety concerns about hands being in Robots. Thus, from your description I would think it would be a violation of <S1>

I deemed this one legal as I had seen in in other competition videos. Another co-referee disagreed saying it was introducing energy by dropping the ball onto a ramp. Thoughts on this?

You were correct and your co-ref was incorrect. Teams may not impart enough energy on the Balls such they end up outside the Loading Zone (i.e. You can’t roll the ball down the field). Simply dropping them into a Robot is legal.

This one was tricky. Students from multiple teams would push a game object into a roller-intake mechanism located at the floor level (not “on” a robot). If the ball was not pushed in, the robot would have needed to move laterally to intake the ball. In scenario C, the ball first touches the loading zone then is (intentionally or not) pushed into the robot. In scenario D, the ball does not touch the loading zone but touches the robot on initial contact (although it wouldn’t have been able to enter the robot without pushing inward).
Is scenario C or D legal?

Both these scenarios are legal, with the same safety caveats as in all loading scenarios.