RobotEvents.com
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
Inspirando estudiantes, un robot a la vez.

This Q&A is now read-only

The Official Q and A is now closed. If you want to submit a question for the Worlds Drivers Meeting, please click here. The deadline for question submission is Friday, March 24.

Official Q&A: VRC 2022-2023: Spin Up

Usage Guidelines All Questions

Robot Skills Clarifications

Denyse Carroll (Event Partner)
5-Jan-2023

<RSC7>Here are a couple of questions regarding running teams during a skills match. As per the update on November 1, teams are supposed to be disqualified for coming into contact with anything outside of the field during endgame.

  1. How do we mark team as disqualified during a skills match? As of December, Tournament Manager does not include an option to disqualify a team during a skills match. The definition of disqualification says that “A Team that receives a Disqualification in a Driving Skills Match or Programming Skills Match receives a score of zero (0) for that Robot Skills Match” Do I simply modify their score to be zero on everything?

  2. Also, does the definition of breaking the field perimeter include the top of the field walls, or only the outside? (Would a team be in violation of S2 if a part of their robot is touching the top of the field wall, but not the outside perimeter?)

  3. How strict are we supposed to be regarding the expansion rule before endgame (e.g., 18” exactly or 18” +/- 1”)? Many teams may have intake rollers that break 18” during operation. There were also some teams with string that would sway outside of the 18” during driving. (One team also had a piece of metal partially detach and stick outside of 18”). Should we keep a sizing tool at the skills field to show teams what part of their robot would violate the 18” rule during operation?

  4. Being able to eyeball the size of a robot on the field is slightly subjective and might cause problems with newer volunteers. What is the best method for teaching them how to spot a violation?

  5. Finally, how do we resolve a dispute of a robot going oversize and entering endgame early? Depending on how strict we are supposed to be with the expansion limit, this will be a point of conflict. As per the manual, “The Head Referee has final authority regarding all Robot rules”. Is this only for the designated Head Referee for the event, or does this include everyone that has been certified as a Head Referee by REC?

SC2   RSC1   RSC2   RSC3   RSC4   RSC5   RSC6  
Answered by committee

Thank you for your questions.

  1. How do we mark team as disqualified during a skills match?

The Scorekeeper should record a score of 0 for the Skills Match.

  1. Also, does the definition of breaking the field perimeter include the top of the field walls, or only the outside? (Would a team be in violation of S2 if a part of their robot is touching the top of the field wall, but not the outside perimeter?)

Rule <S2> specifies that a Robot that comes in contact with the outside face of the Field Perimeter is in Violation of the rule. It does not address or include the top edge of the Field Perimeter.

  1. How strict are we supposed to be regarding the expansion rule before endgame (e.g., 18” exactly or 18” +/- 1”)?

Any horizontal expansion beyond 18"x18" prior to the Endgame is a Violation of rule <SG4>, including swaying or dragging strings, flexible intakes that cause the Robot to expand beyond 18" while intaking a Disc, and partially detached Robot components that protrude or drag beyond the 18" size limit. When determining the correct penalty, the Head Referee must consider the clauses and Violation Notes of <SG4> as well as any steps the Team takes to remedy the Violation. Having a sizing tool available to the Head Referee at the Field is always a good idea.

  1. Being able to eyeball the size of a robot on the field is slightly subjective and might cause problems with newer volunteers. What is the best method for teaching them how to spot a violation?

If your Head Referee and Scorekeeper Referees are available to help with Robot Inspection, it can provide hands-on experience and understanding of Robot sizing.

  1. As per the manual, “The Head Referee has final authority regarding all Robot rules”. Is this only for the designated Head Referee for the event, or does this include everyone that has been certified as a Head Referee by REC?

The Head Referee for the event (or, in the case of an event with multiple Head Referees, the Division or the Match) is the one person with final authority regarding all Robot rules and Match play. Other Referees may provide information about what they saw during a Match, and may advise the Head Referee as requested, but all rulings are based on the judgment of the Head Referee and must be made by the Head Referee.