This yr, a mixture of subject design, sport design, and robotic guidelines has led to a notable enhance in harm to each the sphere and robots as a consequence of what would have traditionally been thought-about regular and anticipated sport play. Please know that I’m not blaming groups for designing robots and techniques or scholar drivers for executing these methods primarily based on the sport, subject, and robotic guidelines offered to them.
There shall be work achieved by FIRST® Robotics Competitors employees and teams of volunteers to have a look at choices to implement into the 2025 sport and future years to mitigate harm. These teams will take a look at all three elements: subject design, sport design, and robotic guidelines (together with motor energy). I’ll share extra particulars about that work and the way neighborhood members can contribute after the FIRST® Championship.
We’ve got fewer choices for mid-season changes as we don’t wish to meaningfully change the sphere or the foundations on which groups designed their robots and techniques. We’re investigating mechanical modifications to the sphere that may have minimal affect on the staff expertise. An alternative choice is escalating the severity of violations in response to a robotic inflicting harm, and I don’t assume that asking Referees to offer out Yellow or Pink Playing cards each time one thing occurs to the sphere is honest or fascinating to both the Refs or the groups.
So, I’m writing at this time to ask for everybody’s assist. If there are modifications that may be made, similar to avoiding excessive velocity impacts when and the place doable, that may assist cut back or eradicate the harm occurring to the sphere and one another’s robots, please do. I ask our subject volunteers to please proceed to work with Occasion Assist to assist forestall any accidents and be sure that the sphere is working as designed.
Working collectively, we will help hold drive staff members and subject volunteers secure and the fields and robots functioning for the remainder of the season.
