Q&A 2412 was asked to determine if sensors and Additional Electronics fall under the Fabricated Parts rules. The ruling stated that “Sensors and additional electronics are not considered fabricated parts for the purposes of this game manual, and are not subject to the limitations on fabricated parts.”
This means that sensors and Additional Electronics discussed in <VUR12> of the game manual are not restricted by the following Fabricated Parts rules: • <VUR3> discusses the legal manufacturing processes of Fabricated Parts. • <VUR4> states that Fabricated Parts must be made from legal Raw Stock. • <VUR5> explains what is not considered Raw Stock, specifically mentioning assembled items and COTS parts. • <VUR6> says that certain Raw Stock is considered dangerous and not allowed. • <VUR7> states that Fabricated Parts must be designed and fabricated by team members.
Based on the straightforward reading of the game manual (<VUR12>’s “no restriction” clause), as well as the ruling to Q&A 2412, the above rules regulating Fabricated Parts do not apply to sensors and Additional Electronics. However, the rulings in Q&A 2031 and Q&A 2113 seem to go against this logic. The ruling in Q&A 2031 (are premade COTS odometry pods legal for use as sensors) specifically references the “assembled items” clause of <VUR5>, but <VUR5> does not apply to sensors and Additional Electronics, only Fabricated Parts. I think this is a mistake, and I would like to ask the GDC to revisit this Q&A. The way I see the rules (and the way my question was answered in Q&A 2412) clearly states that sensors and Additional Electronics are not restricted by any rules aside from the ones specifically listed in <VUR12> (which only deal with motor and brain interfacing and power supplies). Everything else should be legal for sensor systems.
Next, the ruling to Q&A 2113 breaks down sensors and Additional Electronics (going “further than the game manual”) into four categories: Commercially Available Sensors, Sensors integrated into Electromechanical Assemblies, External Processors, and Other Additional Electronics. It then goes on to state that sensors integrated into Electromechanical Assemblies are not legal, but the ruling does not cite any rule in the game manual to explain why. It seems like the logic is similar to the logic in the Q&A 2031 ruling: namely that <VUR5> disallows assembled items. However, as discussed above, <VUR5> does not apply to sensors and Additional Electronics.
After reading the ruling to Q&A 2113 multiple times, here are the new legality concerns that arose for me: At what point is something “ONLY the sensor parts?” Technically, the shaft on an encoder is not the sensor, and if a through-bore encoder is not legal, how is an encoder with a built-in shaft (the only other type of encoder) legal? What is the definition of “more complex systems?” More complex than what? What is a sensor in its “simplest form?” Technically, only raw materials that have a unique relationship to voltage, current, or resistance are pure sensors. Everything else is a fabricated assembly of sensors. Are wire jacks still legal? They are not sensors, and they are not fabricated by the team. What about electrical adapters?
I would like to respectfully request that the GDC revisits the rulings to Q&A 2031 and Q&A 2113, and I pose these questions: 1. Do sensors and Additional Electronics truly have “no restrictions” other than the ones listed in <VUR12>, or are we subject to following external “Sensors integrated into Electromechanical Assemblies” rules? 2. If sensors and Additional Electronics are restricted by the “Sensors integrated into Electromechanical Assemblies” ruling, what is the definition of an “Electromechanical Assembly?”
If the <VUR12> rule of “no restrictions” is upheld, teams should be able to purchase any COTS sensors or sensor systems / assemblies as long as they are being used as sensors and not mechanical parts (a similar “use case” restriction applies to the use of tape in <VUR9>). Teams should be able to design sensors, adapters, and other additional electronics. They should be able to outsource the manufacturing and assembly of any sensor system anywhere. They should be able to use sensor systems that other people or teams created. There should be “no restrictions.” Thank you!