[DSPL] allowing external Microphones

[hawkina]

Issue This year it was very sponteniously decided during the setup days, to allow teams to use external microphones on the Toyota HSR. This rule was implemented as follows:

• people are allowed to add an external microphone to the HSR via USB/AUX
• It can be mounted on the robot
• It can be a wireless microphone which can be handed to the referee
• It is allowed to keep using the build-in HSR microphone - this gave 15 extra points - correct me if I am wrong

Points for discussion:

• I think we can all agree that keeping this rule makes sense moving forward since the HSR otherwise suffers a lot in the competition and teams otherwise have not much that they can do about it.
• Should using the build in mic give more bonus points since it is a huge difference and teams which manage to use it well consistently deserve these?
• are wireless microphones still allowed? These increase the audio quality very much, but if this is allowed in DSPL it should also be allowed in OPL.
• should there be a point deduction / penalty for using wireless microphones if they are handed to the referee/volunteer?

[ARTenshi]

Maybe, towards moving the HSR to OPL league in the next couple of years, we should allow any modification next year for the DSPL as a bridge towards this goal.

[hawkina]

Maybe, towards moving the HSR to OPL league in the next couple of years, we should allow any modification next year for the DSPL as a bridge towards this goal.

Attaching something simple as a mic is one thing, modifying and taking apart the robot a whole other. I understand wanting to move towards OPL in the long term but for now this would defeat the entire purpose of even having DSPL. I think we can make it clear that the future would be a merge between DSPL and OPL but this should be a gradual process and we should probably announce it a few years in advance. I mean, whoever has the resources, can already do this and just participate in OPL instead. Allowing all modifications is too big of a change with just one year warning time.

[johaq]

So, I am against using wireless mics. They also don't seem to be necessary judging from team performances especially when allowing an external mic.

Wrt allowing general modifications: I am against allowing this generally. But I am certainly open to hearing more suggestions for possible modifications. But for now I think all of those modifications need to be in the rulebook and not a general permission.