According to G10 “Robots may not grasp, grapple, or attach to any Field Elements. Strategies with mechanisms that react against multiple sides of a Field Element in an effort to latch onto said Field Element are prohibited”. My question is - Can a robot use the edge of a field element to trigger a mechanism within a robot to carry out a certain function as long as it is not gripping/ grasping/ grappling/ latching on to the element.
It is my understanding the the words grasp, grapple, and attach are key here. There is some expectation around contact with some elements. I believe the intention of <G10> is to prevent robots from taking the field elements apart during a match. With that said I am sure the kids will receive a warning from referees if they hard contact any field element requiring it to be put back together if they grab the element or not. I would encourage you to advise your team to consider that in their design.