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Subject: 
Re: Walker Sumo Revisited.
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
Date: 
Fri, 22 Aug 2003 20:43:17 GMT
Viewed: 
558 times
  
In lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, Calum Tsang wrote:
In lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, Steve Hassenplug wrote:

No, the task is to build a balancing robot that can push over another
balancing robot.

There's a difference.  The task of say getting black bricks out of a box of rice
is not the same as "build rice sorting robots".  One of them implies a way to do
something up front.

Well, back to the original subject of this thread.  "Walker Sumo"  That kind of
implies a way to do something up front.  In a normal sumo event, few people
would enter a walking sumo, even if it is allowed by the rules.  It wouldn't
have much chance of even doing well.  It would be like going to a block stacking
event with a robot that just flings blocks up in the air.

So, the original suggestion (which I attempted to expand upon) was to create a
contest where walking or balancing robots would be competitive (or required)

That doesn't limit how these entries can be made.  There are MANY types of
walkers.

Or only allowing pieces manufactured by The LEGO Group?
NO, it's NOT unnecessary limitations.  It's just the rules of the game.

There's rules which need to be there to keep things from getting stupid.  Size
limitations, construction techniques.  We only allow Lego pieces because it's an
easy rule to enforce and it makes people think creatively.

Right.  It makes the game more difficult.  That's a very good reason to add
unnecessary limitations.

As you pointed out for Pipe Racers, one approach was to build a "robot" that
would dis-connect itself from the pipe, and re-attach itself to the other end of
the pipe.

But an approach which was not allowed was to have a robot with an internal power
suppily, follow the pipe, while the power suppily remains stationary, at the
starting location.

Is that ruling out potential design approaches?

Yes, because they're dangerous to other competitors.  If you want to play by the
rules, you'll note that the BrickFest Pipe Racers explicitly rules out external
power supplies because the cables will tangle other competitors.

"external power suppilies?"  So, now I have to ask how you define an "external"
power suppily.  I'm sure when that was written, it was refering to using an AC
adaptor to power the robot, not a battery box, which would fit within the 12
inch starting cube, and is loosly connected to the portable part of the robot.
That seems more like internal power than external power.

It seems like you're stretching rules to cover things they were not intended to
cover.  Sort of the opposite of finding loopholes in the rules.

Anyways, you shouldn't complain-the added weight of your battery box came in
handy on the downstroke.

As it turns out, having the battery box mounted may have been more dangerous to
other competitors than if I had a cord.  I challenge you to explain how cables
to a battery box would have caused problems in ANY of the Pipe Racer matches we
saw at Brickfest.

In the future, it may be a good idea to avoid pointing out that the rules are
written to allow loopholes, and then get mad when someone actually exploites one
of the loopholes.



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Walker Sumo Revisited.
 
(...) Ouch!!! that hurt! :) Chris I'll just humbly sit hear and fling my blocks. (21 years ago, 22-Aug-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
  Re: Walker Sumo Revisited.
 
(...) Well, I was never a fan of the idea of walker sumo. It's an interesting idea, but I've never seen a good excuse for a walking robot that wasn't other than for the novelty of the entire affair. Research (ie, Mars explorers) or entertainment (...) (21 years ago, 22-Aug-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Walker Sumo Revisited.
 
(...) There's a difference. The task of say getting black bricks out of a box of rice is not the same as "build rice sorting robots". One of them implies a way to do something up front. (...) There's rules which need to be there to keep things from (...) (21 years ago, 22-Aug-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)

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