It's About Time C

[trophymursky]

sorry about that, i misread what you said.

[sean9keenan]

I would like to also see some way that perhaps electricity could be implemented, not in use as a timer mechanism (ie a 555 timer) but rather some buzzer or electrically based timer that could be attached to the machine. It would be significantly more difficult to convert the energy in order to press a button at a specific time, which would in turn either stop a timer or make a noise. One of these types of circuits could be standardized. Such a feature added to the event would allow teams to work harder if they wanted to reduce their error. This might increase the competitiveness in the event, and reward hardworking teams. It would also not require more resources from event supervisors, or more organization, teams building such a device would have to be able to without a question prove their legality to the event supervisor. Since such devices would be conceivably rare, it might be up to the teams to provide the expertise not the judge, if not the circuit would be removed and where the device would trigger the button they would simply use it as the normal sign for the time to end.

A simple way to allow for such a circuit would be to eliminate all semi-conductor based elements, no programming and certainly no timers...

Just an idea in order to make the event more fun and competitive! (<-ie, please don't hurt me )

-Sean K

[trophymursky]

I would like to also see some way that perhaps electricity could be implemented, not in use as a timer mechanism (ie a 555 timer) but rather some buzzer or electrically based timer that could be attached to the machine. It would be significantly more difficult to convert the energy in order to press a button at a specific time, which would in turn either stop a timer or make a noise. One of these types of circuits could be standardized. Such a feature added to the event would allow teams to work harder if they wanted to reduce their error. This might increase the competitiveness in the event, and reward hardworking teams. It would also not require more resources from event supervisors, or more organization, teams building such a device would have to be able to without a question prove their legality to the event supervisor. Since such devices would be conceivably rare, it might be up to the teams to provide the expertise not the judge, if not the circuit would be removed and where the device would trigger the button they would simply use it as the normal sign for the time to end.

A simple way to allow for such a circuit would be to eliminate all semi-conductor based elements, no programming and certainly no timers...

Just an idea in order to make the event more fun and competitive! (<-ie, please don't hurt me )

-Sean K

hurts sean

honestly i like the mechanical clock idea, output mech's without electricity isn't that hard and also it would pretty much be pointless, i think the purpose of the event is to make mechanical clocks the old fashoned way and the science behind that and to show you don't need fancy circuits for it.

[sean9keenan]

OK. Fine. I admit it, I actually just want circuit lab back, and am looking for any excuse to use electronics.

[tad_k_22]

I still agree with sean's idea.
Though the reaction time from the judges is eliminated (they chose to use the timer system), it's going to be a lot of reaction time to the competitors to time it correctly.

[rocketman1555]

you could use a piece of quartz, and if you run the right amount of electricity through it, it will keep time pretty accurately, but its hard to explain, since i don't really understand how it works, i just know thats what timex watches use

[gh]

Most timekeeping devices made these days use a quartz crystal oscillator. :\

[rocketman1555]

ok, i just knew for a fact timex used it

[tad_k_22]

The thing is though, that would cause teams with more cash to inherently beat the teams with less cash.
That's the reason why no electricity is allowed, to keep the parity of scioly. Or, at least the most obvious reason.
It would make really accurate clocks, too, which would kinda defeat the purpose of the event. .1 seconds wouldn't be a problem to time if you had quartz oscillators.

[gh]

I don't think cash is actually a problem in this case; making an accurate mechanical stopwatch is a lot more expensive than whipping up a quartz-movement electronic clock, which is something that gets mass-manufactured for cents and can be made for dollars. It would just be REALLY BORING if everyone came in with electronic clocks of pretty much all the same quality and timed a signal, then took an exam. You might as well just ask people to bring stopwatches instead, since they're not going to get much out of it otherwise.