Further Clarification on Rapid Loading Procedures <SG5>
There still seems to be some confusion around the ability to "roll" a ball into a robot's intake system during the Rapid Load period.
The scenario in question is as follows:
- A robot skills session has reached a qualified rapid load period
- The robot's intake system/first point of contact with the ball has entered into the Starting Zone 2
- The Loader then rolls the ball to the robot, with the ball making initial contact with the ground within Starting Zone 2
- The ball rolls into the robot's intake, still entirely within Starting Zone 2, and the robot pulls the ball into itself; which may have now pulled that ball out of Starting Zone 2 depending on the size and design of the robot.
- This process may repeat for the second rapid load ball
- The robot then proceeds forward, exiting Starting Zone 2, to attempt to score both balls
This will require accurate positioning of the robot and clear "entry" of the ball into Starting Zone 2 so as to not violate the first Note in this rule
The confusion is coming from Note 2 where the belief is that that note is meant to prevent a situation where the robot remains "parked" in front of the goal wall and a loader attempts to roll, bounce, toss or otherwise deliver a ball to the robot after initiating contact between the ball and the floor within Starting Zone 2 and that Note 2 is not intended to prevent the scenario as described above.
The following is a field diagram showing an illegal (top) and presumed legal (bottom) loading scenario; the latter representing the scenario described above.
