The tournament will consist of three portions: a seeding round, a "head to head" single elimination competition, and a final round. The purpose of the seeding round is twofold: (1) to determine the group of teams to receive a ?bye? in the first round of the single elimination competition and (2) to determine the seeding in the second round of the "head to head" competition. The purpose of this structure is to insure that there will be exactly 32 robots competing at the beginning at the second round of the ?head to head? competition.
In the first portion of the tournament, the time that a robot takes to reach the target area of an illuminated bulb will be used to determine its seeding for the first round and (if needed) for the second round of the ?head to head? single elimination competition.
The robots that receive the highest rankings in the seeding runs will receive a "bye" for the first round of the single elimination tournament. The remaining robots will then need to compete in a single round ?head to head? competition with each other. The winners of this round will advance to the "head to head" single elimination competition against the robots who received a "bye" in the first round. The pairing of robots in the first and second rounds will be based on seeding, e.g., a lowest vs. highest seeding will compete with one other, the next lowest will compete with the next highest, etc. The final match of the competition between the two remaining robots will be won by the robot (team) winning ?two out of three? head to head rounds.
An example may help clarify the structure of the competition. If 40 teams are participating in the tournament, then the seeding round is used to assign to each robot a ranking from 1 to 40 (with 1 being the highest ranking). The robots having the highest 24 rankings from this round will advance automatically to the second round of the single-elimination competition. The first round of the single-elimination competition will be a "head to head" contest among the robots having the lowest 16 rankings (ranging from 25 to 40). The 8 winners of this ?head to head? competition will then advance to the second round of the single-elimination portion of the tournament (thus having 24 + 8 = 32 competing teams).
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The competition will begin with a one minute individual round for all teams in order to determine seeding. In this round, each team will be timed on how quickly they can travel from a fixed starting location and orientation to the target area surrounding a light, randomly chosen, in the arena. Each robot will be permitted to begin movement only after receiving an IR signal of "102" from an RCX Brick facing it. It should then move to the target area surrounding the only (steadily) illuminated bulb as quickly as possible. The shorter the time that is taken to reach the target area, the higher the ranking will be. The teams will then be ranked and this ranking will determine their seeding in the next two rounds of a single elimination tournament. In the seeding round the bulbs will all be 60 Watts and there will be no obstacles in the arena. Note that NO robot will be eliminated based on the performance during the seeding competition.
In the tournament, two robots will go head to head in the competition arena. Both robots should be able to sense light and race as quickly as possible to reach a randomly chosen bulb that is flashing at a rate of approximately once every two seconds. At the same time there will be two other arena lights that are on constantly. The first to reach the target area surrounding the flashing bulb and come to a complete stop for three seconds will score a point. The target area will be demarcated by standard 3/4" white electrical tape. At the conclusion of each head to head battle, the winning robot will move on to the next level. As the rounds progress, the task will be made increasingly difficult as there will be cylindrical obstacles scattered about the arena around which the robot will have to maneuver.
Head to head battles will last until a robot has accumulated three (3) points or until three minutes have elapsed in the battle. In the final round of the competition, the head to head battle will last until a robot has accumulated (5) points or until five minutes have elapsed. In the case of a tie, a sudden death overtime will occur. If neither team had scored a point during regular play, the arena may be simplified to make play easier. The final match of the competition between the two remaining robots will be won by the robot (team) winning "two out of three" head to head rounds.
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All robots must be programmed using the NQC programming language developed by Dave Baum. The current release (2.5) should be used and this compiler can be downloaded from Dave Baum’s official website:
http://www.baumfamily.org/nqc/
This site also contains important documentation of the compiler, an NQC FAQ, and links to IDE (Integrated Design Environments) for both Windows based PCs and the Mac. The use of an IDE such as BricxCC or MacNQC is highly recommended, though it is not necessary for your program development.
For the Windows IDE:
Bricx Command Center (BricxCC) is a Windows (95, 98, ME, NT, W2K, XP) program commonly known as an integrated development environment (IDE) for programming the RCX (all versions), Scout, Cybermaster, and Spybot programmable bricks using Dave Baum's Not Quite C (NQC) language. It also supports programming the Scout, RCX2, and Spybot using The LEGO Company's MindScript(tm) and LASM(tm) languages via the Mindstorms 2.5 SDK. It supports programming RCX bricks in C, C++, Pascal, Forth, and Java using the brickOS, pbForth, and leJOS alternate firmwares. Version 3.3 of BricxCC is an enhanced revision to Mark Overmars' original program. See his web page for an overview of the basic functionality upon which this release was built.
Bricx CC website: http://members.aol.com/johnbinder/bricxcc.htm
For the Mac IDE:
The main window of the program is an editor for the NQC language. The editor color-codes the syntax of the language. Multiple files can be edited at the same time. From the editor you can call the compiler and download the code to the robot. There are many other functions, like windows to watch what is going on in the robot, to control the robot directly, to control the robot with a joystick, diagnostics, to let the RCX make music, and tools for downloading firmware, etc. Online documentation is also available for both MacNQC and the NQC language.
MacNQC website: http://homepage.mac.com/rbate/MacNQC/
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You should note that several robot design parameters should be considered. Below are some basic robot attributes that you should try to balance. Please be aware that this list is not all-encompassing. Spend some time thinking about the robot design before you dive into its programming and construction.
Realizing that there are two robots in the arena at any given time, it is important that you build a robust robot. If they bump into one another, it is possible that parts of a robot may break off and impede its movement. At the very least you will need to make sure that your robots are easily repairable.
As your robots will need to sense the light source and move toward it, you should try to program an algorithm that will zero in on the light very quickly.
The faster the robot moves the better, though you will need to be careful of balancing robot robustness and agility, two contrary design parameters.
Remain aware of the parts available to you. You should think about several gearing designs and methods of gaining traction on a glossy floor. Transferring power from your motor for locomotion is not a trivial matter, especially when it comes to developing the fastest robot you can. You are required to use only the parts available form one (1) Lego “Team Challenge” Robotics Kit. Do not include any extra parts from other kits you may purchase. All robots are subject to inspection to insure that this requirement is met. The use of any parts not included in the standard kit will result in immediate disqualification. Please also note that inside the kit there is a block that comes with a small bulb. There is an extra funnel shape metal piece that can attach to the small bulb (making it a flashlight). This bulb cannot be used on your robot, as it may interfere with competitors' light sensing strategies.
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The brick must be very close to the tower to download programs successfully. What could be wrong?
There are two modes for the IR link: high and low sensitivity. There is a switch on the infrared tower to set the desired mode. If you are having difficulty downloading programs into the RCX, try toggling the switch. However, you may want to keep the infrared tower in “short range” mode if your school has more than one team building a robot, since you could inadvertently program your classmates’ robot with your code! There is a 9 volt battery that powers the IR tower, it is possible that the battery is weak which can also cause communication problems. If all of your troubleshooting attempts fail, try replacing the battery!
What are the dimensions of the arena?
The arena is a hexagon with 5' long sides that are 5.5" tall. The light bulbs are clamped to the center point of each wall so that they are 8.25" above the ground.
How soon after the robot successfully reaches the target area will the lights change (for the preliminary or succeeding rounds of the competition)?
The lights will change as soon as the judge has determined a robot has scored by entering the target area around the illuminated bulb. The lights will change in a random pattern generated by a computer program. The judge has no control over the illumination sequence.
Do the lights stay unchanged until a robot reaches a target area (for the preliminary or succeeding rounds of the competition)?
No. The lights will not change until a robot scores a point by entering the target area around the illuminated bulb.
Can we fuse the parts together?
No. Parts cannot be glued or otherwise permanently attached to one another. Electrical tape may be used to secure wires but not for structural purposes. No other materials outside of the kit provided may be used on the robot.
If our robot loses a wheel or other significant part, are we permitted to replace it and continue the round, or will we lose the round automatically?
No and No. No human contact may be made with a robot once the round has begun and no rounds will be restarted due to hardware or software failures. Provided the robot is not endangering the arena or the spectators, the round will be completed. Teams are strongly encouraged to design robust robots that are mechanically sound. The Art of Lego Design (http://web.media.mit.edu/~fredm/papers/artoflego.pdf) is an excellent resource for designing reliable robots.
Are we allowed to make program changes between rounds?
Yes. However, your robot must be ready to compete by the next scheduled round of competition or it will be disqualified.
What will be the wattages of the light bulbs?
60W. Your robot and program should be designed in a robust manner to accommodate varying light intensities and provide a method of calibration on the day of the competition.
How long does the light stay on (for the preliminary or succeeding rounds of the competition)?
The light will stay on until the first robot reaches the target area. As soon as a robot enters the plane of the target area boundary, the illuminated light will turn off and the next randomly selected bulb in the arena will turn on.
Are the robots placed back in the center after each point?
The robots will not be touched during the round. When a light goes off the robots must move from their present location to the next target area.
If the lights go off after some time, can you score on that light-in other words, will there be a series of lights going on and off, so that the robots will have to change courses repeatedly?
The lights do not change until a point has been scored by a robot. The robots may have to change course to deal with obstacles or the arena walls. The illuminated light goes off only when a robot reaches the target area, then a new one is turned on and the robot will need to change course to aim for the new light source.
How wide a range can our sensor see?
Refer to the documentation that you received with your kit. The range is dependent upon the light source being viewed, the viewing angle, the ambient lighting conditions, and many other factors. Try building a mockup of a portion of the arena and experiment with your sensor to determine the range for this application.
How is the one foot square target area marked? Is it taped off? Are there boards sticking out?
The one-foot target area surrounding each light bulb will be marked with masking tape approximately ¾” wide. The target area is not marked or obstructed otherwise.
Is there electrical access in the ballroom where the contest will be held?
There will be plenty of electrical outlets for use with your laptops and infrared towers. You may wish to bring your own extension cord and surge protector to connect your equipment to the electrical outlets in the ballroom.
How much ambient light will there be in the ballroom? Will the rest of the room be in total darkness?
The lights in the room will be turned off and the shades will be drawn on the lower windows. The room will be dark enough to provide a good differential between ambient light and the light bulbs in the arena.
Will we be allowed time to calibrate our programs to the light source?
Yes. you will be allowed to calibrate your robots before the competition and between rounds as long as this does not interfere with the competition schedule.
Will there be computers in the ballroom to use, or do we have to bring laptops?
There will be a few (2-3) computers to use if necessary. However, it is strongly recommended that each team bring a laptop on which to work. Having your own laptop available can be a significant advantage, as you will not have to share it with other teams and you will be familiar with it’s operation. If bringing a laptop is not an option for you and you will need a computer to use, please contact Ana Badillo (arb14@case.edu) to arrange for the use of a computer on the day of the competition.
Does the entire robot have to be in the 1ft by 1ft target area for points to be awarded?
No. The robot does not need to fit entirely within the 1ft by 1ft target area to have a point awarded. Only a part of the robot needs to break the plane of the area.
Is the inside of the arena black or is it highly reflective?
The arena floor is a reasonably reflective wooden surface. It is a waxed/polished/buffed surface, but this has not presented a problem in the past. The inside surface of the arena walls is unpainted wood that is not highly reflective.
Do the light bulbs protrude into the arena or are they recessed, i.e., what is the spread of the light: narrow or wide?
The pictures on this page should clarify how the light bulbs look and their relation to the arena. They are mounted on top of each wall section. There are no lamp shades or diffusers on the light bulbs so they tend to disperse light evenly in all directions.
Where do the robots start the competition?
The robots will begin the competition in opposing corners and facing the RCX start beacon. Once both robots have been placed in the arena, the judge will activate the RCX start beacon and the infrared code “102” will be broadcast to the two robots. The robots may not move prior to the activation of the start beacon. Robots will be given two false starts in a round; on the third false start, the robot will forfeit the round.
The Arena
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