Re: Speed

[Joyce Poon <poonj@ecf.utoronto.ca>]

> It occurs to me that it would be pretty cool if our robot, instead of
> running around barriers, simply ran through them...
> 
> (seriously)
> 
> 
> -- 
> Signature withheld by request of author.
> 

I forsee some problems with this strategy:
a) This may not work for the evade mode.  Although pushing a barrier
around may help mask the enemy beacon signal, if the barrier is large
(like a garbage can), this may actually increase the chance of getting
tagged (due to the transmit tag rule).  I don't know whether pushing an
obstacle around makes the obstable part of our robot (ie does the
obstacle become a "dangling object?").

b) This may not work for the pursue mode.  I wonder if the tag gets
transmitted.  

c) Some obstacles will be hard to push around (due to weight and
friction).  If Malone puts a heavy glass fish tank, our robot probably
won't be able to push it away.

d) What happens if we break an obstacle... we might get disqualified...
That could be funny actually.

e) pushing around stuff will slow the robot down.

f) motor may require more torque.  (there could be more work involved with
speed control & sensors as well -- ie when you want to go 3ft/s while
pushing around a garbage can, you will need more power than if you don't
have a garbage can in front of you).

g) how can we distinguish between the outside barrier (ie the ring around
the playing area) and an obstacle inside the playing area?

On the other hand:
Pushing around the barriers will confuse enemy robots (esp the
teleoperated ones) <HUGE ADVANTAGE>.  However, we have to somehow keep
track of where the barriers are too, so we don't get confused.

In conclusion:
	I think it may be neat to push around some barriers, but I think
we should carefully go through the rules (ask Malone?) to ensure that we
won't be DQed.  Moreover, this strategy does not necessarily simplify the
algorithm nor our design.

On another note, I am not going to sift through Tim's defense strategy for
now (ODE).  But I will look at it before we see Malone (hopefully).

Joyce :)