FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

In update 13 the change to G09 states: "any part of the ROBOT is intersecting the vertical planes defined by the SWITCH FENCE", which has started a discussion with some of the students on our team about the difference between fence contact and intersecting the vertical plane of the fence by any part of the robot, not just the bumpers. In physics class they are learning about what happens at the atomic level during contact (i.e. microscopic compression of both contacting objects), and it is clear that the some of the atoms of the robot will break the vertical plane during contact with the switch fence. Since FIRST is about science, I have no doubt that some students will make this argument if a G09 violation is called, but some part of the team's robot was in contact with the fence. (And it would put the refs in a bad position to have to rule against this argument -- basically saying that the rules of physics don't apply to FIRST competitions.) The note to the G09 rule states that teams are encouraged to make compliance with this "obvious and unambiguous", the problem is that microscopic compression of the fence isn't going to be obvious to the refs, but on the other hand, geneal contact would be.  

Since Update 13 opened the door to this with the "intersecting the vertical plane" text, perhaps you could clarify it further by clearly stating that any part of the robot making contact with the fence is also compliant with G09.B.

thanks.