robo-cross jeff anderson national event supervisor dennis papesh dpapesh@holyangels.cc 1

Robo-CrossRobo-Cross

Jeff AndersonNational Event Supervisor

Dennis Papeshdpapesh@holyangels.cc

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WARNING!WARNING!DISCLAIMER

This presentation was prepared using draft rules.  There may be some changes in the final copy of the rules.  The rules

which will be in your Coaches Manual and Student Manuals

will be the official rules.

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GoalGoalDesign and build a robot

(remotely operated vehicle)Must perform certain tasks on a

prescribed playing field

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Construction Construction Robot may be controlled remotely:

◦Radio◦Infrared◦Wired control boxes◦See soinc.org for legal devices and

frequenciesCommercial robot – at least one

functional modification◦Lack of modification means Robot

doesn’t work or will work differently

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Construction -SizeConstruction -SizeRobot, in ready to run position

◦Fit, entirely, (without compression) in a 30cm x 30cm x 30cm cube Entirely means that no portion of the robot,

including the antenna, has its position changed by the box If no box is used, no portion would ‘stick out of’ that

box

◦Robot may change dimensions during the run May get larger

◦May not separate into two or more active components May drop passive parts

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Motions Motions Must be powered only by electrical,

elastic, or gravitational energy◦These forms must not be converted to

other forms such as hydraulics or pneumatics

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Powered byPowered byCommercial batteries may be

used to energize each of the Robot’s and its controller’s electrical circuits◦Not exceeding 14.4 v as labeled◦May be connected in series or

parallel But must not exceed 14.4 v

Must be contained in either the Robot or as part of the controllers

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FrequenciesFrequenciesPermitted frequencies will be

listed on the Science Olympiad national website at www.soinc.org◦2014 events

Robo-Cross

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Technical documentationTechnical documentationTeams must develop and submit at

◦Check-in or inspection or as announced by tournament director the following:

◦Illustration◦Operating Description◦Written practice log

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IllustrationIllustrationAny form, photo, drawings, 3-viewBasic structure of the Device, with

labels◦All motors in the device (numbered)◦All energy sources◦Controls being used to interact with the

Robot

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1 – controls claw

2 – controls outer arm rotation

1 – 9v power to robot

1 – signal router

3 – controls inner arm rotation

Illustration

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5 – controls left wheels

4 – controls right wheels

Illustration

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1- Ch. 5 – claw

2 – Ch. 6 – outer arm

4 – Ch. 2 – right wheels

3 – Ch. 4 – inner arm

5 – Ch. 1 – left wheels

Illustration/Operating Description

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2 – 9v controller power supply

Illustration

Operating descriptionOperating descriptionRobot reaction to each control inputTentative/Proposed plan of

movement◦Which items in the Competition Area will

be moved◦How the robot plans to move each item

This is a tentative plan – no deductions if plan must be changed during operation

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Tentative Plan of MovementMove Robot into Zone C, stand the Bonus Box upright and

push it into Zone B, towards middle of the Zone.

Back out to Zone A/B boundary and begin to pick up ping-pong ball, AA cells, and Lego blocks and drop into Bonus Box

Pick up tennis ball and drop it into Bonus Box

Move further into Zone B to pick up remaining Lego blocks, AA cells, and ping-pong balls and drop into Bonus Box

Maneuver Bonus Box into Zone D

Drive Robot into Zone D

Turn off Robot and shout “Stop”

Written practice logWritten practice logRecord at least 5 runsRecord at least three parameters

◦Must include score◦Must include time◦Any additional parameter

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Date Time in Points Difficulties encountered

min:sec

9-Oct 3:00 83 difficulty in placing items in Bonus Box

13-Oct 2:50 97 difficulty in righting Bonus Box

17-Oct 2:40 100 difficulty in moving Bonus Box into Zone D

25-Oct 2:30 98 Bonus Box in Zone D, Robot dropped part in Zone A

8-Nov 3:00 71 Bonus Box in Zone D but tipped over spilling items

15-Nov 2:40 181 Left Lego in Zone B

      x

Written Practice Log

Playing FieldPlaying Field4 ft x 4 ft smooth, rigid surface

◦Tempered hardwood, Masonite, sanded plywood, etc. Robot must be able to operate on all such

surfaces

Perimeter of 1” x 2” wood (nominal) attached with the 2” dimension placed vertical

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Playing fieldPlaying fieldDivided equally into square

zones, labeled A, B, C, D counterclockwise.

Zone D will have a border of 5/8 in. quarter round molding separating it from other zones. Rounded sides will face Zone A and Zone C.

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Playing fieldPlaying fieldInterior boundaries drawn with

fine tipped markerZone A will have a box 30.0cm x

30.0cm drawn for the starting position of the Robot.

Zone B will contain all of the items listed in 4.i at the start of the competition.

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Playing FieldPlaying FieldMay be designed to fold or

separate◦No more than a 3mm gap or step◦Tape may be used to secure the

seamsAll materials for the event,

playing field, Bonus Box, and items, will be supplied by the Event Supervisor

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Playing FieldPlaying FieldBonus Box must be the bottom of

a plastic gallon milk jug cut off to a height of 14.5 to 15.5 cm

Must be placed in the inside corner of Zone C with the open top facing away from Zone D

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ItemsItems4 Ping-Pong Balls4AA batteries (on their sides)1 tennis ball4 Lego® bricks (standard 2 x 4

size)

All placed as shown on the playing field diagram

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Zone B

Ping-Pong Balls (4)

Standard 2x4 Lego Blocks (4)

AA Batteries

Tennis Ball

Zone A

Zone C

Zone DBonus Box

Starting position of Robot

Playing Field

CompetitionCompetitionAt check in (or inspection), ES

inspects and weighs the device◦Checks size◦Selects 4 items from the technical

documentation and has the competitors point them out on the device

Students place their Robot in the designated Starting Position, in ready to run configuration

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CompetitionCompetitionEvent Supervisor will count aloud

“1. 2,.3, Go”Time starts (recommended 3

timers be used)Teams will have 3 minutes

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CompetitionCompetitionRobot may move the Bonus Box

but the Box must remain inside the playing field in any zone

If any item moved by control wires, it is out of play – no points for it

Miscellaneous parts may end up in or on the Bonus Box without penalty

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CompetitionCompetitionThe run must stop (and time recorded)

if any of the following occurs◦3 minutes have elapsed from the word

“Go”◦The team says “Stop”◦Any part of the Robot or Bonus Box is ‘Out

of Bounds’ Out of Bounds is defined as touching the floor

outside of the Playing Field

◦The Robot is physically moved by the wires connecting it to the control box

◦A team member steps on the Playing Field after the team has received a warning

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CompetitionCompetitionThe robot must stop within 2

seconds of the run completionAny items moved or moving after

time has stopped must be scored where they were prior to the time stopping

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ScoringScoringAt the end of competition, points

will be awarded based on the number and types of items that are in the specified scoring areas

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Scoring - RobotScoring - RobotIf the Robot (parts touching the

ground) is completely in:◦Zone B – 3 points◦Zone C – 5 points◦Zone D – 15 points

If Robot parts (including dropped parts) touch the ground in multiple zones, the lesser zone score will be awarded

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Scoring - ItemsScoring - Items

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Item Quantity Zone C Zone D

Lego Blocks 4 1 2Ping-Pong Balls 4 2 4AA Batteries 4 3 6Tennis Ball 1 4 8

Each item may earn points for only 1 single zone

2x score multiplier to any items completely under the Bonus Box

3x score multiplier to any items in or fully supported by the Bonus Box if the opening is pointing up

Any item which touches the floor outside of the Playing Field at any time, even if under control by Robot, is out of play and has no point value

ScoringScoringIf any part of the Bonus Box is Out

of Bounds, the items within will have no score value

Score will be reduced one point for each incorrect answer in 5.a (book may say 5.b)

Teams with no or incomplete Technical Documentation will have 5% deducted from their score

Maximum score is 183High score wins

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ScoringScoringTie breakers

◦Shortest run time◦Lowest mass of the Device

Robot and Controllers

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ScoringScoringTiers:

◦Tier 1: Devices that meet all requirements are ranked by highest score

◦Tier 2: Devices with competition violations◦Tier 3: Devices which fail to meet a spec

under “Construction Parameters”◦Participation Points only: Devices which

violate the frequency rules or are unable to compete

◦No show points only: Devices that have no capability by design to score points by moving objects

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KickstartersKickstartersThe following YouTube videos

probably will not run when you try this powerpoint at home.

All you need to do is go to YouTube and type Science Olympiad Robo-Cross in the search box. I found about 15 videos.

Remember – these designs were operating under different rules than you will.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8O1tWiC7KE