Robot sizing - powered on?

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Tower Takeover (19/20)
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During inspection when measuring the robot to ensure that it is within the 18" cube, can it be powered on?

Thanks

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Not always, but they do an autonomous check (or at least at the events that I’ve gone to) where you turn the robot on. If your robot has to be on to fit in the cube, it’s illegal since When you set up at the start of each game your robot is disabled.

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They also check if you are able to drive it with a controller.

Here is the official checklist for the inspectors when they are doing inspections (yes, it is for last season, but it should have the same require,Mets for this year):

https://www.roboticseducation.org/documents/2018/09/vrc-cortex-robot-inspection-checklist-2018-2019.pdf/

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There is no rule against having your robot powered on during the sizing check. However, your robot needs to fit “naturally” within the 18" cube — that is, motor power may not be used to keep your robot within size.

In other words, you may have your robot powered on, but your robot is illegal if it needs to be powered on to fit in the 18" cube.

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You can’t use motor power to hold it in place (if that is your intention) from a practical point of view, since prior to the start of each match the robot would be disabled when connected to field control anyway so the motors wouldn’t do anything until the match started and therefore your robot wouldn’t be legal. That said, there is no rule that I can see that says you can’t have the power on during inspection.

Lots of teams use other retraining methods (zip ties or rubber bands that unhook, passive latches etc) to hold their robot in place. Just remember that any retaining mechanism needs to remain in the legal starting dimensions and must remain attached to the robot once deployed, so a functional retaining rubber band couldn’t just ping off for example, it would need to remain attached to the robot somewhere.

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@Barin @calvc01 <S1> <G3>

No inspector wants to have their face smashed by a robot arm because someone accidentally bumped the controls while they were leaning over it. Bring your robot to inspection in a powered off state and only turn it on when instructed by the inspectors.

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I agree. Already happens enough testing the comp switch :rofl:

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