– FIRST Tech Challenge DECODE Season Guide

#horizontalrule

Overview
Roles Covered:Robot Inspector
Job Description
The Robot Inspector is responsible for inspecting robots before match play to ensure they are safe and
legal. All events have an experienced Lead Robot Inspector that oversees a Robot Inspection crew.
Some events have an Inspection Manager who helps with the administrative part of the inspection.

Requirements:
Technical
Medium
Physical
Low
Administrative
Medium
Communication
High
Pre-event Training
Medium
Time Commitment
A Robot Inspector should expect to spend 1–2 hours at a full day event. Because robot inspections
happen at the beginning of the tournament, Robot Inspectors may serve in another volunteer role once
inspections are complete. If a Robot Inspector has indicated in their application that they are available
for the full day, the Event Director may assign them to another role once inspections are complete.
Approximately 4–6 hours of pre-event training and planning is required.
Attire
• Comfortable closed-toe, closed-heel shoes, much of the day will involve standing and walking.
• ANSI Z87.1 or regional equivalent certified safety glasses are required in team pits and
competition areas.
Training and Certification
Read and complete all tasks listed in thePre-Event Trainingsection.
Any volunteer who applies to a role will be able to get into the Learning Management System (LMS)
using the 'FIRSTTraining' button. Roles with the training required will appear in the 'roles missing
certification' area. For more help, youcan read moreabout how to access your training.
If you have applied for a role but have not received access to the training, please email
training@firstinspires.org. A separate confirmation of the role assignment will come later.
Robot Inspectors should speak to the Lead Robot Inspector, or Event Director, to find out what
additional requirements, such as meetings before the event or run-throughs of the space before the
event are required.
All Volunteers are expected to read and comply with the Volunteer Handbook.
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
2 of 16

#horizontalrule

Roles and Responsibilities
FIRSTis fun for all. The most important role for a volunteer is to provide a
safe, fun and welcoming environment for all FIRST^® participants. When
executing the duties of your role, always make decisions with the team
experience in mind. Ask for help from event leadership if you feel your
required duties conflict with the best team experience.
Robot Inspector
Robot Inspectorsensure that every robot follows the guidelines outlined in the FIRST^® Tech Challenge
Competition Manualand are ready & safe to compete on the playing field. The inspection process
involves filling out a checklist for every robot and marking the robot as passed inspection via the
inspection tablets or on the inspection checklist.
The Robot Inspector reports to theLead Robot Inspector.
Before the Event
FIRST^® Tech Challenge tournaments squeeze a lot of activity into one day. One of the keys to running a
smooth and successful event is for teams and volunteers to show up prepared. Teams spend countless
hours preparing for competition day and we ask our volunteers to prepare for tournament day as well.
Robot Inspectors must participate in training before volunteering at an event. They also must pass a
certification test. Training and the certification test are provided by FIRST^® Headquarters.
Pre-Event Training
Required reading for training and certification:
Robot Inspector Pre-event Training List
Requirement
Resource
Required
Welcome to FIRST
Required
The Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual(this document)
The Competition Manual, specifically
Required
• Section 3 Competition Eligibility and Inspection
• Section 12 ROBOT Construction Rules
Team Updates -Combined
• Team Updates are posted on a weekly basis.
These releases occur on Thursdays around noon
(US Eastern Time).
Required
Robot Inspectors are required to read the team updates
throughout the season and are encouraged to sign up for
theTeam Update notification emailsto help stay up to
date.
Required
Robot Inspection Checklist
Encouraged
Inspection Quick Reference
Required
Complete the Robot Inspector CertificationTest in the
FIRST^® Learning System
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
3 of 16

#horizontalrule

(For volunteers outside of North America without a FIRST^®
Dashboard Account use thePDF to self-certify)

Additional Information & Resources
Robot Inspector Additional Resources
Resource
Description
Competition Manual,specifically:
•
Optional additional competition manual sections which
Section 9 – ARENA
• Section 10 – Game Details
might provide context relevant to your role as a Robot
• Section 11 – Game Rules
Inspector.
• Section 13 – Tournament
The Q&A serves as a space for these volunteers to ask
questions and receive official answers from FIRST^® Staff
and our Global Key volunteers about the Competition
Manual and its expected implementation.
Volunteer Q&A System
To access the Q&A volunteers must have an active FIRST^®
Dashboard account,have applied to volunteer in the
specific role for the current season, and have a signed
consent and release form.
This is a resource for teams; however, you may also find
FTC Team Q&A System
these useful to understand the questions teams ask.
Monthly optional volunteer calls to provide support for
Robot InspectorVolunteer Calls
Robot Inspectors and Lead Robot Inspectors.

Event Day
Report Time
The Event Director or Volunteer Coordinator will confirm the time you should arrive typically via email
the week before the event. In most cases, Robot Inspectors will need to arrive at the event as soon as
the event opens for volunteers to ensure the robot inspection tables are setup up, and inspection staff
are in place when teams start arriving for inspections. In rare cases, robot inspections might begin the
day before the event and continue into the next morning in cases where teams weren’t inspected the
day before.
When Robot Inspectors and Inspection Managers arrive onsite, check in with the Volunteer Coordinator
and report to the Lead Robot Inspector.
Set-up
After checking in, the inspection staff should check to make sure they have the appropriate resources
and tools needed to complete robot inspections. Some items that are needed for robot inspection
include:
Supplies:
• An 18in. x 18in. x 18in. (45.70 cm x 45.70 cm x 45.70 cm) robot sizing tool
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
4 of 16

#horizontalrule

• Inspection tablet or inspection checklists*
o Robot Inspection checklist
• Pens
• Tape measure
• Robot Sign Templates (US Letter | A4)
o These are to assist teams that may show up to the event without their own robot signs.

Supporting documentation:
• Robot Inspector Manual(this document)
• Inspection Quick Reference
• Copies of the Competition Manual
o Digital copies of the competition manual are accessible through the Robot Inspectors’
tablet, which is the preferred method to access the manual. This ensures the inspectors
are viewing the most current version of the manual.
• A copy of the Registered Teams List

Most events will provide a tablet to the Robot Inspectors. This tablet is
used for the Robot Inspector to indicate which teams have passed
inspection, and which teams are currently in the process of completing
inspection. For those events not using tablets, paper copies of the
checklists will be used for each team.
Robot Inspection Process
A typical robot inspection crew has a Lead Robot Inspector and several Robot Inspectors. The Lead
Robot Inspector will explain the overall inspection process for the event and is the robot rule expert.
Feel free to ask the Lead Robot Inspector about unfamiliar robot parts and for help with difficult
inspections. On-call FIRST^® Tech Challenge staff are available on event day to aid Lead Robot
Inspectors.
It is the responsibility of the Robot Inspector to:
• Greet the team. Inspectors are generally the first volunteers a team will interact with.
• Go through the inspection checklist with the team.
• Assess the team’s robot and identify if there are illegal parts on the robot.
• Provide guidance to the team on how to address any issues with inspection.
• Identify potential concerns of entanglement (loose cables) or safety.
• Be fair and apply the same thoroughness for every team.
• Treat all teams with Gracious Professionalism^®.
Always keep in mind that as a Robot Inspector your role is not to fail a team. You are well-positioned
and empowered to help teams pass inspection while ensuring a fair competition.
It is the responsibility of the Inspection Manager to:
• Provide as-needed assistance to the Lead Robot Inspector.
• Report inspection progress to the Lead Robot Inspector and ensure team inspection status is
up-to-date and prominently displayed.
• Ensure the reasons for incomplete inspections are recorded for each affected team.
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
5 of 16

#horizontalrule

• Help sequence teams for inspection and manage inspection queueing volunteers if present.
• Perform robot sizing checks where necessary.
• Manage the inspection station while the LRI is away.
Although not an all-inclusive list, the below sections will cover some best practices for robot inspection.
Inspection Checklist
Inspectors are encouraged to guide teams through the inspection process in a conversational manner.
While the functional goal of inspection is to efficiently check all of the checklist items, this is an
important opportunity to greet teams and demonstrate genuine interest in their accomplishments as
one of their first volunteer interactions at an event.
Rather than asking the team how many actuators they’ve used, consider asking a more holistic
question about how the team accomplished a game task. If you don’t recognize a part of the robot, ask
a student for additional information about its function. Most of the time, it will be clear whether the
team has met the requirements. When necessary, reference inspection checklist items and ask directly
about the rules that may permit or prohibit a part.
Once the checklist is filled out, congratulate the team for passing inspection or clearly describe any rule
violations and work with the team to find acceptable solutions. It is best if the team leaves inspection
with a remediation plan that has received preliminary approval from an inspector.
End the inspection session on a high note by complimenting the team or robot. Ask the team if they
have any questions about the inspection process.
Starting Configuration Inspection – R101
The robot sizing tool is the official gauge of whether a robot has met the STARTING CONFIGURATION
of 18 in. x 18 in. x 18 in. (45.70 cm x 45.70 cm x 45.70 cm). Sizing tools can differ from event to event.
Some events may use a box to inspect the size of the robot. Other events might come up with sizing
tools that slide over the robot. Either method is okay.
If a sizing box is used, slide the robot into the open end of the sizing tool. Robot contact with the sides
and top of the sizing tool is allowed; however, the sizing cube may not be used to hold the robot in its
starting configuration. There should be no undue pressure on any of the sides or back of the sizing tool.
Slide a flat plate or yardstick over the open side of the tool to verify compliance at the opening of the
sizing tool.
Robots are required to demonstrate compliance with the STARTING CONFIGURATION; robots may be
initialized to comply with the 18 in. x 18 in. x 18 in. (45.70 cm x 45.70 cm x 45.70 cm) limit.
Horizontal Extension Limit Inspection – R105.A
This year’s game has horizontal extension limits as described in rule R105.A. Using the same sizing
tool as before, the team should demonstrate the robot’s maximum mechanical extension and fit within
an 18 in. (45.70 cm) by 18 in. (45.70 cm) horizontal plane, software limits are not sufficient to
demonstrate maximum extension.
Vertical Extension Limit Inspection – R105.C
This year’s game has vertical extension limits as described in rule R105.C. Some events may have a
sizing tool for the specific extension limit; otherwise, use a tape measure or meterstick to confirm the
requirements. The team should demonstrate the robot’s maximum mechanical extension and fit within
a height of 38 in. (96.50 cm).
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
6 of 16

#horizontalrule

Robot Signs
Robot signs are vital for match play and are sometimes overlooked by teams. Each team must have
two robot signs with their team number as outlined in rule R401. Additionally, teams will need two sets
of robot signs as the robot signs indicate the team’s alliance for a given match, per rule R402. It may be
helpful to have copies of the robot sign template (US Letter,A4)available as a resource for teams to
help get them through the inspection process.
Robot Safety Inspection
Sharp Edges
Inspectors are required to check for sharp edges on a robot that could pose hazards to the arena, team
members, or field staff. While rule R202 is important to assess, it’s equally important that Inspectors
are safe while evaluating a robot for sharp edges. If an Inspector identifies a potential sharp edge that
may violate the rule, they may use other tools such as a piece of paper or a spare soft tile to evaluate
how sharp the edge is. If either the paper or the tile is sliced on the sharp edge, guide the team to file
the edge or cover with tape. It’s also important to remember that these are robots and unfinished edges
(or even sharp edges due to the nature of making metal extrusion) are a fact of life. Evaluate these
sharp edges and corners from a perspective of risk; is there an imminent danger to the arena, team
members, or field staff attempting to manage this robot?
Inspection Troubleshooting
Repeated Failures
If a team repeatedly fails inspection, identify the team to the Lead Robot Inspector and ask that they

find someone to work directly with the team.
If a team cannot pass inspection, even with help. The Lead Robot Inspector, FIRST Technical Advisor,
Event Director and/or Program Delivery Partner must decide how to proceed.
The goal of the inspection process is to ensure all robots are safe and
have no unfair advantage during the competition. Within these bounds,
the Lead Robot Inspector is empowered to deprioritize some robot
construction rules to allow a team to participate.

Re-inspection
If a team makes significant changes to their robot or their programming during the day, they must
undergo another inspection. It is not unusual for a team to ask for a re-inspection of their robot.
The Head Referee may ask for a re-inspection of a robot based on observations on the playing field.
The (Lead) Robot Inspector will re-inspect the robot and report the results to the Head Referee. If the
(Lead) Robot Inspector and Head Referee disagree, the (Lead) Robot Inspector should cite the
supporting rule(s) and reason for the ready or not ready recommendation. The Head Referee has the
final authority over allowing a robot to compete.
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
7 of 16

#horizontalrule

It is unusual for late-season events to require many re-inspections. If a
large number of re-inspections are occurring, it may be necessary for the
Lead Inspector and Head Referee to work with the FTA (and potentially
FIRST staff) to ensure event rules are consistent with global standards.

End of the Day
The role of the Robot Inspector generally ends once inspections have been completed, which is prior to
the start of matches. Therefore, some Robot Inspectors choose to leave the event once inspections
have been completed. However, some Robot Inspectors may choose to fill another role during the
event and will be present for the duration of the event. If possible, Robot Inspectors may assist other
volunteers with the teardown of the event.
Team Interaction and Support
When interacting with teams please always consider the team’s perspective. The teams have put
significant time and effort into preparing for this event and may be feeling very stressed about
everything working out as they have planned. Today is a very big deal for the team and we are here to
help!
While it’s our job to help guide the teams to a successful event, it’s their responsibility to follow the
rules and be on time for judging and matches.
If you feel there is an issue with an individual or individuals from a team that warrants specific
intervention beyond just a kind reminder, please work with your Lead Robot Inspector to address the
issue.
Teams may only be completely disqualified from awards consideration for very rare egregious actions
and only with approval from FIRST^® HQ. The Event Director and/or JA should call the on-call number to
discuss the issue.
Emergencies
The Program Delivery Partner, Event Director and the event site host organization are responsible for
having safety and security plans in place for each event. Included in the plan should be topics such as:
• A map of all the emergency exits
• Knowledge of where on-site medical support is located
• Shelter in place plans in the case of severe weather
• Evacuation plans
Teams should have their own safety plans before attending the event. Here are some team-focused
recommendations for Preparing to Safely Attend a FIRST^® Event.
Lost Children
FIRST^® Tech Challenge events can be very hectic, and it can be easy for a child to get lost amongst the
shuffle of a busy event. Ensure you have a plan prior to the event in the instance of a lost child.
In some cases, the team roster will list Coach phone numbers which can be used to reunite team
members, in some regions they collect “Day-of” cell phone numbers from each team at check in.
Coordinate your plan with your Program Delivery Partner.
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
8 of 16

#horizontalrule

Code Adam Guidelines (www.missingkids.com/CodeAdam) are also a great resource.
Medical Incident Reporting
Event volunteers are not responsible for diagnosing student injuries, handing out medication, or first aid
equipment. You and other event volunteers should refer medical issues and emergencies to a medical
professional on site, such as an EMT. If an incident or illness occurs at an event, the Event Director, Pit
Administrator, or another trained delegate should do the following:
• Call 911 if there is any question whether the injured
person/persons require urgent medical attention.
• Respond to the scene immediately. Bring a clipboard, pen, or a
electronic device to complete the incident report on theFIRST^®
Reporting Portal.
• Complete the incident report for the injured party.

www.firstinspires.org/report

The Event Director or Pit Administration volunteers are responsible for completing incident reports.
Although most incidents will not result in a claim, it is better to act on the side of caution and report
them. Should an incident result in a claim after the event, the documents will be on file, complete with
witnesses and a written report.

Youth Protection Reporting
Issues that are non-medical but are of concern to a
participant/participants should also be reported. Anything that
happens during an event that made a youth volunteer, team
member or spectator feel uncomfortable or threatened should
be addressed.

As appropriate and if you feel safe doing to, speak directly with
www.firstinspires.org/report
the offending party and try to quickly and calmly defuse the
immediate issue. Call the Event Director and/or the Program
Delivery Partner and inform them of the issue and seek assistance as needed with any immediate
remediation of the issue.
Ensure all issues are reported in a timely manner using the FIRST^® Reporting Portal.Youth Protection
Concerns encompasses a wide variety of one-time or ongoing issues such as suspected abuse,
bullying, harassment, discrimination, questionable behavior, or violation to the FIRST^® Code of Conduct.
Reporting Other Issues or Concerns
Feedback about issues such as game play, rule changes,
awards, and event management (other than
medical/safety issues) are considered program related
concerns and not youth protection issues and should be
shared with FIRST viacustomerservice@firstinspires.org
or bycontacting support.
help.firstinspires.org/s/contactsupport
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
9 of 16

#horizontalrule

Please note that match results and award results are final and that we will not review match videos.

Safety
An important priority for all volunteers is to observe their event areas to help promote a safe and
orderly space for all the participants. It’s likely that various volunteers and event participants will bring
concerns to your attention, but you should also be proactive in identifying areas of concern.
Prioritize working with the teams to help identify and correct potential safety issues in the area. Please
review the section about Team Interaction and Supportfor the best ways to work with teams on
making changes.
Safety Glasses and Closed Toe Shoes
All volunteers, teams, coach/mentors, and spectators are required to have safety glasses and wear
closed toe shoes while in the pit and competition areas. It is important to watch out for anyone entering
these areas without proper personal protective Equipment (PPE) and to ask them to put on proper PPE
before entering. Some events will have volunteers staffed at the pit entrance with spare safety glasses
to pass out. Other events may not have spares to provide.
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
10 of 16

#horizontalrule

Important Tools
Public Schedule
The Program Delivery Partner or the Event Director should publish the public schedule of events before
the event. This schedule will have a high-level overview of all the activities for the event. It is important
that everyone at the event does their best to stay true to the public schedule so that teams and
volunteers who have planned their day around these times have a good experience.

Time
Agenda
7:15 am
Doors Open for Staff & Key Volunteers
7:30 am
Judges and Inspectors Report
8:00 am
Doors Open for Teams
8:30 am
Judging & Inspection Commences
10:15 am Team Check-in Hard Deadline (Check the Competition Manual)
Match schedule is generated and distributed to teams. (Check the Competition Manual)
10:30 am Note to Scorekeeper: 6 Matches total(Check the Competition Manual)
10:40 am Drivers’ Meeting with Head Referee & Opening Ceremony
Qualification Matches 1 - 8
11:00 am Note to Scorekeeper: 7-minute cycle-time
12:00 pm Lunch
Qualification Matches 9 - 45
12:45 pm Note to Scorekeeper: 5-minute cycle-times
3:50 pm
Qualification Matches Projected End
4:00 pm
Alliance Selection
4:20 pm
Double Elimination Rounds 1 - 4
5:10 pm
Award Ceremonies Start & Double Eliminations Round 5
6:20 pm
Projected End of Event
7:00 pm
Doors Close
Occasionally things that happen out of the event’s control may impact the schedule. In these cases,
work closely with the Event Director to understand the updated agenda.
Figure 1: Example Schedule for a 30 Team Event

V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
11 of 16

#horizontalrule

Registered Teams List
The Program Delivery Partner may provide a list of teams registered for the event or the scorekeeper
can export a report of all the registered teams for the event. Sometimes this list may change the day of
the event based on which teams show up. The Scorekeeper report will have the most accurate
information about who is competing at an event. Notes that teams may be competing only in the
judging portion of the event and not have a robot present.
Figure 2: Competing Team Report
Volunteer Roster
The Volunteer Coordinator or the Program Delivery Partner will have access to a list of applied and
assigned volunteers for the event.

V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
12 of 16

#horizontalrule

Event Layout/Map
The Program Delivery Partner and Event Director should publish a map of the venue before the event. In
some cases, details on the map might not be available until the day of the event.
The Event Layout / Map should detail the following:
• Load-In Path
• Parking for Personal Vehicles and Busses
• Team Check-in
• Volunteer Check-in
• Competition Area
• Pit Area (May include thePit Map)
• Judging Room Locations (if applicable)
• Safety Details as available (Emergency Exits, AED, Shelter in Place Locations)

Figure 3: Example Event Map
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
13 of 16

#horizontalrule

Judging Schedule

Figure 4: Example Judging Schedule
Match Schedule
The match list will be generated on the day of the event after the teams have been confirmed. This
schedule will list which teams will play in which alliance (Red or Blue) and it will also list a match start
time seeFigure 5. Some events will have more than one competition field. Some events will have more
than one division, in which case each division will have its own schedule.

Figure 5: Example Match Schedule

V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
14 of 16

#horizontalrule

Pit Map
Pit maps are typically provided by either the Event Director or by the Scorekeeper. Having a map of
where each team is in the pit is key, as teams, parents or Queuers might need to find. Below are two
sample pit mapsin Figure 6andFigure 7. Pit Maps created in FTC Scoring will appear on the FTC-
Eventspage.

Figure 6: Example Pit Map for a small12-team Qualifier Event

Figure 7: Example Pit Map for a Typical Regional Championship Event

V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
15 of 16

#horizontalrule

Useful Links and Information
On-Call Support Numbers
On-Call Support
These numbers are for volunteer support only. Teams should not use these numbers
to call about rulings or technical assistance.

Administrative, Judge, Referee and Non-Technical Issues:
(603)206-2412

Scoring System (FTC Live) or other Technical Issues:

(603)206-2450
Call or use the built-in chat feature on FTC Live available for events with internet
access
Pre-Event Support
Mon – Fri
8:30am – 5:00pm Eastern Time (UTC-4 or UTC-5)
Contact Supportincluding live chat or emailcustomerservice@firstinspires.org

Program Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge Website
Event Search

Game and Season Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge Blog

Volunteer Resources
Team Email Blasts

Feedback
We strive to create support materials that are the best they can be. If you have feedback about this
manual, please emailcustomerservice@firstinspires.orgor bycontacting support. Thank you!
V25-26.4
Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual
16 of 16

#horizontalrule

Document Outline

#horizontalrule