DESCRIPTION:
The object of this event is
to design and build a robot capable of performing certain tasks on a prescribed
playing field. Each team may enter only one robot that must be built prior to
the competition.
A
TEAM OF UP TO: 2 students
APPROXIMATE
TIME: 5 minutes/team
1.
MATERIALS :
a) The robot may be constructed of any material.
b) The robot may be controlled remotely or with
a control panel that has wires leading to the robot.
c) At the start of the competition, there is a
size restriction for the robot. The robot must be able to fit into a cube that
is 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm, with the exception of the wires that connect to the
student control box. Antennae for communication with
wireless controllers may extend beyond the 30x30x30 cube.
d)
The robot
circuits must be energized by one or more commercial batteries with a voltage
not to exceed 9 volts. Each robot function (such as drive train, arm, etc.) may
have its own independent circuit, source of energy, and control mechanism. All robot circuits must be powered by one
or more commercial batteries. Each robot function (arm, drive train, etc.) may
have its own separate circuit, control mechanism, and power source that does
not exceed 9 volts. The robot and control system may use an unlimited number of
batteries as long as they are not connected together to produce more than 9
volts (between any two points).
e)
If the robot is
"radio-controlled", it may be controlled by more than one
transmitter. Each transmitter must be energized by one or more commercial
batteries with a total voltage not to exceed 9 volts. Radio control equipment used for this event must operate on
frequencies designated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
regulations for surface devices (cars, boats, etc.) Model Aircraft frequencies
may not be used. For more information go to:
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/prs/radcntrl.html Teams are
responsible for complying with this rule in order to comply with FCC
regulations. The judge will not measure
the frequencies.
f)
Since the event is a student
construction event, use of complete commercially available units will not
qualify. Commercially available
objects, such as remote control cars, may be cannibalized in the construction
of a vehicle, but may not be used intact.
Specifically, an existing chassis with drive train and steering and
control cannot be used as a single unit to qualify.
2. PLAYING
FIELD:
a) The playing field for the robot shall be marked on a piece of carpet approximately 4 feet by 8
feet.
b) The playing field will be a rectangular
configuration one meter wide by two meters. It will be further divided into two
zones by a line running through the center of the rectangle, making each zone
one meter wide by one meter long. One zone will be Zone A; the other zone will
be Zone B.
c) In the approximate center of zone A, there
will be an equilateral triangle. Each side of the triangle will be 30
centimeters in length with the side nearest the centerline being parallel to the
centerline of the playing field.
d) The playing field will be marked on the
carpet with ink or paint. Each line on the
playing field will be approximately 1/2 inch wide.
e)
A
region approximately 3 feet wide around the carpet will be marked off for the
operators of a robot. The operators are
not allowed to walk on the carpet.
3.
COMPETTION:
a) Prior to the competition, all robots and
control systems will be impounded by the event supervisor and not released to
the team until after the competition.
b) At the start of the competition, the event
supervisor will place in Zone A, the following objects: 6 Ping-Pong balls
(approx. diameter 38mm), 3 35mm film canisters without lids, and 3 cardboard
cylinders (empty toilet tissue roll tubes) approximate size 39-42 mm diameter x
115 mm length.
c) A cardboard cylinder will be placed on each
corner of the equilateral triangle.
d) The film canisters (open side up) will be
placed on each corner of the equilateral triangle inside the cardboard tube.
e) Two Ping-Pong balls will be placed inside the
cardboard tube on top of the film canister.
f)
The robot will
be placed inside of the playing field at the center of the end boundary line of
Zone B. A team will be given the opportunity to
set up the vehicle, and will tell the judge when it is ready. Nothing that is not attached to the robot
may be used to prop up portions of the robot in order to fit within the
30x30x30 cube at time of start. It is
the team's responsibility to ascertain that it will fit in the cube before they
tell the judge to check. The team will
not be given multiple chances to reconfigure the robot if it doesn't fit the
first time. The only reconfiguring
allowed will be if the judge disrupts the robot in the process of checking.
g) A box with inside dimensions of 30 cm x30 cm
x 30 cm will be placed outside of the playing field adjacent to the robot in
Zone B. The box must be made of Plexiglas or wood.
h) During the two-minute competition, the robot
must pick up the items that are in Zone A and place them in the box. It may pick
up the items individually or collectively. At the end of two minutes, points
will be awarded based on the number and types of items that were placed in the
box.
i)
If a scorable
item (ping pong ball, film canister, or cardboard cylinder) is moved from Zone
A to Zone B by the control wires, it will become out of play and may not be
used to attain any points.
j) If
a student touches the robot or uses the wires or
control box to physically move the robot or a scorable item, the competition
ceases at that point and the score will be determined prior to the violation
(touching the robot). The controller(s) must be held by
the team members during operation.
Touching control actuators that are attached to the robot which are not
held by the operator(s) will be considered a touch of the robot, and will
terminate competition.
k)
An object
accidentally touched / moved by the control wires will not necessarily trigger
the item j end-of-competition.
However, if the control wires move an object to the advantage of the robot,
the judge will be predisposed to view it as a violation. Take for example a robot that must first
knock over the tubes in order to load them onto a horizontal spike. If the control wires knock over some tubes
while loading other tubes, this would provide an advantage to the team. The judge will use his discretion at
declaring whether such an event will trigger the end-of-competition. Accidental movement of an object that does
not move it from one zone to the other, and provides no net-benefit to the team
will not trigger end-of-competition.
l)
If
competition stops due to a violation, the full 2 minute time will be recorded
for that team, independent of the actual time utilized.
m)
The
clock will only be stopped when no scorable objects remain on the playing
field. (i.e. all objects have either been deposited into the box or knocked
off the playing field).
4.
SCORING:
a) Any scorable item that leaves the playing
field is out of play and may not be used to attain any points.
b) A team
will receive the following points for each item placed in the box:
·
Ping pong ball = 9 points, maximum 54 points
·
Film canister = 5 points, maximum 15 points
·
Cardboard
cylinder = 3 points, maximum 9 points
c) For every scorable item removed from Zone A
and placed in the box or in Zone B, the team will receive 1 point (maximum 12
points).
d) At the end of the competition, if the robot
(parts touching the ground) is completely in the playing field, the team will
receive 10 points. At the end of the competition, the event supervisor will
allow 10 seconds for the robot to "come to rest" with the power off
to determine if any parts are touching the ground outside of the playing field.
e) The team with the most points will be the
winner. In case of a tie, the team that completed the task in the shortest
length of time will receive the more favorable score value.
f)
If teams have
identical scores, the tie will be broken by massing the robot without the
control system. The robot with the least mass will receive the more favorable
score value (ranking). Because the batteries
used to power the vehicle may be a significant portion of the total mass, if
the drive mechanism of the robot (including motion, steering and object
handling) is powered by batteries that are mounted on the controller(s), the
controllers will be weighed with the robot.
g) Robots that fail to meet all of the
specifications under "Materials" will be ranked behind those that do
h) Robots that fail to meet the qualifications
described in 3F (fitting into the 30 cm cube) will be allowed to compete if
they meet all of the other specifications; however, they will be ranked after
all robots that meet material specifications and size requirements.
i)
Maximum score:
·
All items
removed from Zone A = 12 points
·
6 ping pong
balls = 54 points
·
3 film
canisters = 15 points
·
3 cardboard
cylinders = 9 points
·
Robot in
Playing field at the end of the 2 minute event =10 points
j)
An object that goes off the
playing field is out of play and unscorable.
It will be considered off the playing field when it is entirely beyond
the outer edge of the boundary line. An
object that is partially on the line is still in play.
k) An object that is held by the robot, entirely off the surface
of the playing field, will be considered live, even if the robot goes out of bounds.
l)
An object must be entirely
beyond the middle line to be considered to have been moved from Zone A to Zone
B.
m)
Objects must be inside the box
at the point that the time expires to be scored. An object held by the robot when time expires, that is released
as the robot comes to rest will not be scored.