The use of Bluetooth inside a robot

#1

Hello everyone. It’s been a while. :grinning:
I have one thing to confirm about using Bluetooth inside a robot.

There is a rule about wireless communication in the general rules as follows;

Robots are not allowed to use any kind of communication during gameplay unless the communication between two robots is via Bluetooth class 2 or class 3 (range shorter than 20 meters) or via ZigBee. Teams are responsible for their communication. The availability of frequencies cannot be guaranteed.

Some Japanese colleagues say that Bluetooth is allowed only between two robots, not inside a robot. That’s because it’s clearly said “between two robots” in the general rules. As a result, one team was pointed out that they violated the general rules at the Japanese national event. Is this the right decision?

My understanding is teams can use Bluetooth as a wireless communication even inside one robot. If teams can use Bluetooth in a robot, could you please improve the words in the general rules?

#2

Hi Shoko,

Wireless communication is allowed between the two robots as stated in the general rule.
This restriction does not affect the organization of major league and must be observed.

At the same Japanese regional competition, at Rescue, there was a team that had two EV3s mounted on one robot and had wireless communication. They rebuilt the robot according to the general rules.

We will be able to discuss about wireless communication at this year’s retreat.
However, I think it is important that the juniors will not affect the majors in order to stay in the same venue as the majors.

Naomi
2022 committee

#3

Thank you, Naomi, for your quick reply. :blush:

I understand that junior teams should not affect the Major League’s organization. I don’t think we need to add other wireless communication standards for the junior league.

My point is why there is a limitation on the number of robots.
I want to know why teams cannot use wireless communication inside a robot. It is allowed to use between two robots. If a team use ZigBee between more than two robots, is this team considered that they violate the general rules? It seems strange (or isn’t reasonable) to me.

If there is no firm reason, could you delete a limitation on the number of robots?

#4

Hi @Shoko.Niwa,

This rule was fixed during my TC chair. There was no objection from OnStage.
As you point out, there are not always two robots in lllOnStages. I will try to discuss this with 2022 junior reteat. At the same time, you should work with the OnStage committee to talk about it.
You said we will also need to rethink communication within a one robot.
However, this will be widely accepted for the use of wireless communication (more teams will definitely use it), so it cannot be decided by junior committees only. Thank you for your understanding.

Best,
Naomi
2022 committee

#5

Hi Naomi,

I appreciate your understanding.
Unfortunately, I’m not a committee member this year though I will try to send a message to OnStage OTCs about this forum thread. I hope some of them can reach here.

Anyway, if there are OnStage teams that use wireless communication with multi robots this year, do they have to rebuild their robots at the venue? Is there any way to avoid that unfortunate situation?

Wireless communication is one of the important technologies for students to learn. It must be great if we could give a chance for teams to perform what they had planned originally on the stage without rebuilding.

Thanks again, :pray:
Shoko

#6

Hi @Shoko.Niwa,

I think this is a task of OnStage committee.
However, I will push to Junior’s Exec and GC about the limit on the number of robots which use wireless communication.
Thank you for your devoted work that continues even after leaving the committee. :slight_smile:

Best,
Naomi
2022 committee