Scioly.org

See rule 4.b.ii

This task is identical to last year's.

SInce this task is allowed the use of electricity, would a temperature switch chip be ok to use?
The data sheet for one (http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tmp708-q1.pdf) lists it as "resistor programmable", but does using a resistor really fit the spirit of this years ban on programmable electronics?

edit - Here's the data sheet for a chip with much more breadboard/prototype friendly packages: https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/268/21440C-65386.pdf

cuber wrote:SInce this task is allowed the use of electricity, would a temperature switch chip be ok to use?
The data sheet for one (http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tmp708-q1.pdf) lists it as "resistor programmable", but does using a resistor really fit the spirit of this years ban on programmable electronics?

I would not consider "resistor programmable" components a violation of 3.i. It's certainly worth asking as an FAQ, but I'm fairly confident by "programmable" they mean IC which can have software installed onto them.

nicholasmaurer wrote:I would not consider "resistor programmable" components a violation of 3.i. It's certainly worth asking as an FAQ, but I'm fairly confident by "programmable" they mean IC which can have software installed onto them.

That was my line of thinking as well, and I doubt an ES would question whether a SOT package IC was programmable or not considering their resemblance to bulky transistors.

As a side note, the microcontroler ban is sort of a pain, but I'm also happy this year to be mucking around with analog circuits, I feel like the low level nature fits the spirit of scioly better.

cuber wrote:SInce this task is allowed the use of electricity, would a temperature switch chip be ok to use?
The data sheet for one (http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tmp708-q1.pdf) lists it as "resistor programmable", but does using a resistor really fit the spirit of this years ban on programmable electronics?

Do you know where to purchase one of these? Last year my team used a temperature adjustable relay but that only works at 12V so I'm trying to find an alternative that can be powered by a 9V battery.

I'm looking at this: https://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Digi ... Thermostat
I don't know if this is technically considered programmable though. Rules for the mission are horribly vague every single year it is an event imo. There are countless incidents of teams finding clever solutions to tasks only to be told 2 months later that what they did is illegal. lol

chessbucket wrote:I'm looking at this: https://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Digi ... Thermostat
I don't know if this is technically considered programmable though. Rules for the mission are horribly vague every single year it is an event imo. There are countless incidents of teams finding clever solutions to tasks only to be told 2 months later that what they did is illegal. lol

Im pretty sure I see IC components

Boss wrote:

chessbucket wrote:I'm looking at this: https://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Digi ... Thermostat
I don't know if this is technically considered programmable though. Rules for the mission are horribly vague every single year it is an event imo. There are countless incidents of teams finding clever solutions to tasks only to be told 2 months later that what they did is illegal. lol

Im pretty sure I see IC components

There is no ban on IC components, just programmable boards.

ScottMaurer19 wrote:

Boss wrote:

chessbucket wrote:I'm looking at this: https://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Digi ... Thermostat
I don't know if this is technically considered programmable though. Rules for the mission are horribly vague every single year it is an event imo. There are countless incidents of teams finding clever solutions to tasks only to be told 2 months later that what they did is illegal. lol

Im pretty sure I see IC components

There is no ban on IC components, just programmable boards.

I was wondering about this rule earlier. Is there anything specific that it's intended to allow/disallow? I'm not very familiar with electronics.

Unome wrote:

ScottMaurer19 wrote:

Boss wrote: Im pretty sure I see IC components

There is no ban on IC components, just programmable boards.

I was wondering about this rule earlier. Is there anything specific that it's intended to allow/disallow? I'm not very familiar with electronics.

From what I can tell, integrated circuits (ICs) themselves are not banned so things like a servo that--I believe contain an IC--but that do not allow for programs or software to be downloaded onto them are legal. An arduino on the other hand can be programmed and would be an IC that isn't allowed. ICs that are "resistor programmable" or that can be adjusted using an analog input in a similar fashion should be fine IMO.