Perfect example of pinning with the newer expanded definition

[Bruce Johns - VashonRobotics]

Here is a video taken in Vancouver that I think shows two bots pinning their opponents at a dispenser. (It is about three-quarters the way through)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OXgNyvptzg&feature=autoplay&list=UL9-OQ2Rqdw3I&playnext=6'

And here is the latest ruling from GDC regarding such action.  What do you all think, is the video showing a pinning incident using the latest ruling?

(I have no idea if penalties were issued, but thought this was a perfect example)

11-19-2012, 07:19 PM#28

 Originally Posted by FTC5073 

At our first tournament, we saw lots of defensive driving. These questions are related to that.

Q1: Rule <G9>. How hard can one robot hit another robot without incurring a penalty? For example, an opposing robot is about to place a ring, can you from a few feet away get your robot to full speed and hit the other robot on the side to prevent it from placing the ring. If not, what is considered a safe hit.
Q2: Rule <G10>. Example: An opposing robot is trying to get rings from the dispenser. The front of the robot is 1” from the wall. Our robot comes and parks 1” behind the robot. The opposing robot can still move forward and back (not much) and can turn a small amount but not enough to get away. Is this a pin? If so, how far does the robot have to back away before it is not considered a pin.

Thanks.

A1: <G9> should be read carefully and completely. "Strategies and mechanisms aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or entanglement of Robots are not in the spirit of the FIRST Tech Challenge and are not allowed." Strategies are a plan, method, or series of maneuvers to obtain a specific goal or result. Continuing with <G9> definition: "However, FTC games are highly interactive and Robot-to-Robot contact should be expected. Some tipping, entanglement, and damage may occur as a part of normal game play." So, there is not a definitive answer to this question. It is a judgement call by the Referees.

A2: <G10> defines pinning. While pinning has meant specifically pushing a robot into a place on the field and holding the pinned robot in that place for more than 5 seconds, we are expanding the definition to include the prevention of a robot from any kind of movement away from a trapped area (similar to the description in the question). So, we will further define pinning as trapping a robot in a place on the field where the trapped robot cannot move away. If a robot is being pinned, the offending robot must back away three feet (0.9m).

 

[Heidi Lovett]

Wow!  That is a great example/question.  

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