[WR] Tomasz Zolnowski 10.07 3x3x3 average

11f) The main judge and WCA delegate must not support their decisions with video or photograph analysis.

Based on the regulations, what's done is done... right?

This rule ought to be reworded. So many people still don't understand that the the WCA board is not the main judge or the WCA delegate and thus can use videos/photos. Seems like every incidence someone pulls out this rule, misunderstanding/misrepresenting it.

I think this is a proper example of this rule in action:

Someone is judging magic and is unsure whether or not the competitor stopped with their hands or their wrists. They can't use a recording as a sort of "instant replay" to double check. They have to make a decision right there, and the competitor can appeal to the WCA board later if they so choose.

Am I correct in this thinking?

some of the timers have strange ability to stop without touching them
Hmm... makes me wonder again: Do we know for certain how the stacktimer actually works? Pressure? Temperature? Electric flow? Electromagnetic field? Something else? Has speedstacks published what they're using? I just checked out their site and couldn't find any information regarding this...

I think pressure alone can be ruled out. If you put a small stack of paper or a blindfold or something over one of the sensor pads, you cannot start/stop it no matter how hard you press.

I think electromagnetic field (and possibly electric flow, not sure) can be ruled out as well, since there are powerful magnets directly beneath the sensors.

I believe it was Shelley who told me about how some of the old Caltech timers would start even if you just held your hands close to them. So my money is on some sort of heat thing, although I can't really be sure.
 
I believe it was Shelley who told me about how some of the old Caltech timers would start even if you just held your hands close to them. So my money is on some sort of heat thing, although I can't really be sure.

Tried putting one hand on one side while exhaling closely with my mouth on the other...didn't work. Some technology they're using...:confused:
 
I believe it was Shelley who told me about how some of the old Caltech timers would start even if you just held your hands close to them. So my money is on some sort of heat thing, although I can't really be sure.

Tried putting one hand on one side while exhaling closely with my mouth on the other...didn't work. Some technology they're using...:confused:

Same. Although it might be some sort of pressure/heat combo, and the worn out ones don't really require as much (or any) pressure.
 
Wow, the 8.65 was insane, did I see an OLL skip? Or was that just my imagination?

Congrats Tomasz!!

Btw, regarding the timer. This morning I have had my timer stop on 0.2x, and I have a cast on my right arm, which means only my fingertips can touch the timer.
 
It's a shame that there's this much controversy going on because of the "timer malfunctions."

Regardless, Tomasz had an amazing average. He destroyed the previous wr.
 
Wow! That's some speed!

Congratz, Tomasz!


about the timer malfunctions, I agree that 0.02 and 0.03 are clearly timer misbehaviors, but I can get 0.13 or 0.15 or 0.16 intentionally on my timer (just use your wrists to stop just after you've started)
In fact, I've done this many times in the past, while practicing OH. I'd leave my right hand on the timer and take only the left. As I pick up the cube, my wrist hits the pad, stopping the timer. My fault.

maybe we could standardize what are considered timer malfunctions and whare are not.
 
So I think Stackmats works like mouses. If I put my finger about 1 milimeter from the mouse, without touching it, it gets activated (the red light gets stronger). So maybe the Stackmat works like it, but it doesn't seem to have anything to work like this.
 
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That's crazy close to sub-10. There's no doubt he can do it. But I think Tomasz should be a good sport like Grzegorz Prusak and accept those questionable "timer malfunctions" as DNFs. It's only a matter of time before he get's sub-10 avg anyway. Besides, it's not like he would be giving up the record since he held it before this.
 
I know some timers can stop when you hover your hands close to the pads, but than the timers does this all the time. I normally check the timers for this behavior before the competition. From the video the timer is stopped when Tomasz moved his arms above the pads, this could indicate such a timer malfunctions. From the video it is not very clear if he touched unintentionally the pads with his arms, he started correct. If I was judge I would give him the extra attempt
 
I believe it was Shelley who told me about how some of the old Caltech timers would start even if you just held your hands close to them. So my money is on some sort of heat thing, although I can't really be sure.

Tried putting one hand on one side while exhaling closely with my mouth on the other...didn't work. Some technology they're using...:confused:

I just tried that on mine and it did work. I guess it is heat.
 
I believe it was Shelley who told me about how some of the old Caltech timers would start even if you just held your hands close to them. So my money is on some sort of heat thing, although I can't really be sure.

Tried putting one hand on one side while exhaling closely with my mouth on the other...didn't work. Some technology they're using...:confused:

I just tried that on mine and it did work. I guess it is heat.

I think its heat+pressure combo. But then again, I remember once my timer was acting funny when I hooked it up to CCT. I didn't have to touch the pads and it would function.
 
I believe it was Shelley who told me about how some of the old Caltech timers would start even if you just held your hands close to them. So my money is on some sort of heat thing, although I can't really be sure.

Tried putting one hand on one side while exhaling closely with my mouth on the other...didn't work. Some technology they're using...:confused:

I just tried that on mine and it did work. I guess it is heat.

I think its heat+pressure combo. But then again, I remember once my timer was acting funny when I hooked it up to CCT. I didn't have to touch the pads and it would function.

I think its inductive. It regocnizes the resistance on each of the pads. When you breath on it your breath makes it wet and makes it go off.

anyway, congratulations on the WR. New WRs are allways awesome!
 
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So if you think it is a heat+pressure combo how can you explain how some stackmats got activated without touching them? The logical answer would be that they have the technology used in mouses, but it doesn't seem to be that, unless a bit of the surface were you put your hand let infrared rays pass through.
 
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