revisit: limit switch inputs - jaguar controller rulling (post 11658)

[FRC1073]

I would like to revisit the rulling prohibiting use of the limit switch inputs on the JAGUAR's. These are the inputs that sense the state of external switches. These switches are used to shut the motor off if and only if it is about to exceed some hardware defined physical limits. Exceeding these limits could result in the robot being damaged.

These switches should be allowed because they offer a safety buffer that will protect both the robot and students from accidental glitches in software or malfunctions in the other sensors used by the software to determine a motors location. Furthermore, these limit switch inputs cannot be used to bypass any IO to enable the motors, so they do not appear to violate Rule R61. Their only purpose is to disable a motor.

[GDC]

No. The previous answer still stands.

We understand the purpose of the limit switch inputs on the speed controllers. We also understand that the Jaguar speed controllers are brand new devices that have never been used in a FIRST Robotics Competition before. The same is true for the cRIO mobile device controllers, the wireless communications system, the field management hardware, and the field management software. Until the complete operational capabilities of these devices are proven in a full competition environment, systemic risk is being managed (in part) by controlling the number of new elements that are introduced this year. As these elements are more fully characterized and understood, their extended capabilities may be enabled in future competitions.