TimeBase - the future of competitions

[quanloh]

There is basically zero chance of that happening. Speedstacks doesn't care about cubing at all.

You got your point, but doesn't speed stacking need this kind of functions too?

 

[Tabe]

You got your point, but doesn't speed stacking need this kind of functions too?

Dunno. I don't do speed stacking. But I know they don't need the scramble stuff.

 

[F'prime]

This is a revolutionary way to host competitions. I like it!

 

[colourblind_cuber]

Perhaps a small battery powered "pass-through" unit between the timer and the display will be more feasible at current stage? with it being a table top device, DNF, all the +2, NFC for participant & referee confirmation can be done with a small LED matrix display and a num pad, would that be more cost effective?

I came here to say this. The technology is amazing: signing with NFC, easy management of the times, +2 and DNFs... but why build a whole display for this instead of a device that takes the input from the timer, does the necessary processing with the signature and all, and outputs it to the display?

I would love to see all these concepts getting into the real world as soon as possible, but I can't see this happening if every delegation in the world needs to replace the displays they already have, and for which they paid expensive costs.

A "pass-through" device would be a lot cheaper to produce and for delegations to buy, and the transition would be almost effortless.

Also, I'm not a fan of the judge having to look away from the competitor during inspection. When judging with a stopwatch, you put the stopwatch between you and the competitor, and you look at the competitor to judge them while you glance at the stopwatch every second or so to inform 8 and 12. With the countdown on one side and the competitor on the other, it would be harder to judge if people don't turn their cubes during inspection, as well as judge the hand position when the competitor starts their timer.

 

[Gecko777]

Tapping a NFC chip on a scanner is probably faster than signing, but even if it is slightly slower than those delays will be made up for at the competition stations since the need to write times and sign are completely eliminated.

i mean that if you had to tap an nfc tag to the scanner to get the scramble for only one cube, you would need many, many computers to have more than one cube being scrambled at a time.

 

[Samuel Baird]

i mean that if you had to tap an nfc tag to the scanner to get the scramble for only one cube, you would need many, many computers to have more than one cube being scrambled at a time.

Split screen can be used to allow for multiple cubes to be scrambled at once

 

[quanloh]

Realistically, most improvement in automation is actually bit by bit, so far most of my projects on automation all are changed gradual, attempts on fully changeover from manual to fully automated almost always end in chaos. So I think certain process can still be manual, like the scramble assignment etc. But streamline the recording & uploading result live without the score card is really a viable start.

 

[UncleFrank]

Well, how did it work in the comp yesterday?

 

[An Animating Cuber]

Well, how did it work in the comp yesterday?

The comp was an hour behind going to finals

 

[Tabe]

Well, how did it work in the comp yesterday?

I have heard almost exclusively good things. A few hiccups, like times not recorded, but overall it was very successful.

 

[gsingh]

Well, how did it work in the comp yesterday?

3x3 R1 in the morning was difficult, and we were very behind schedule, but as the day progressed and everyone got used to the procedures there were almost no issues. Overall it was very successful.

 

[ender9994]

Was watching most of the competition stream. Definitely areas that can be improved, but seemed like a good first test run. After another 2-3 years of development and tweaking I could see it being implemented WCA wide

 

[abunickabhi]

@Samuel Baird What is the update on TimeBase?

Are there any resources or funding required to reach the next stage of deployment?

I would be happy to help in my capacity to enable this electronics at more comps.

 

[abunickabhi]

Is TimeBase timers + displays going to be only used for PSL competitions?

If yes, it is quite unfortunate, we might never see a WCA implementation yo.