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The Q&A is closed for the 2021-2022 season. Any rule changes or clarifications pertaining to the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship will be included in the April 5 Game Manual Update. Teams attending VEX Worlds who wish to pre-submit questions for the driver's meeting should have received a contact form via email; if not, please contact your REC Foundation Team Engagement Manager for more information.

Official Q&A: VIQC 2021-2022: Pitching In

Usage Guidelines All Questions

Can students use the plastic sheet to help with high hang?

David Sankey (Event Partner)
24-Jul-2021

<G14> Don’t damage the Field. Robots may not grasp, grapple, or attach to any Field Elements other than the Hanging Bar. Strategies with mechanisms that react against multiple sides of a Field Element in an effort to latch or clamp onto said Field Element are prohibited. ... b. While the Hanging Bars are excluded from this rule, their supporting structures are not. Incidental contact with other Field Elements while Hanging will not be penalized, but Teams are not permitted to grapple, clamp, or attach to any Field Elements other than the Hanging Bars while Hanging. ... BLUE BOX: The key words in this rule are “clamping” or “anchoring”. The intent of this rule is to prevent Robots from actions which could unintentionally damage the Field during standard gameplay. Passive contact that does not cause damage, such as bumping into the clear plastic sheet or using Field Elements for alignment, are fine.

I have seen some damage happening to the plastic sheet when students attempt to high hang. While the blue box refers to anchoring, the word isn't found in the rule. Are students allowed to anchor their bot on the plastic sheet while attempting to high hang?

G14  
Answered by committee

Are students allowed to anchor their bot on the plastic sheet while attempting to high hang?

It is impossible to provide a blanket answer that will encompass all possible hypothetical Robot mechanisms, interactions with the clear plastic sheet, and levels of damage.

The intent of G14 is to prohibit Robots from causing excessive or intentional damage to the Field. It is expected that Robots in the act of Hanging will bump in to, lean on, or otherwise react against the clear plastic sheets found near the Hanging Bars; this type of interaction is explicitly referenced in G14's blue box as an example of legal contact. Any "clamping" mechanisms must only interact with the Hanging Bars.

That being said, "damage" is not solely limited to clamping mechanisms. If a given Team is consistently found to be causing excessive damage to any Field Element, it may still be considered a minor violation of the rule, and Teams may be warned accordingly.

Minor violations of this rule that do not affect the Match will result in a warning. Offenses which improve the score will result in a Disqualification. Teams that receive multiple warnings may also receive a Disqualification at the Head Referee’s discretion.