You have been challenged to a maze solving race!
Official Maze Solving Rules
Maze solving race is a contest where a LEGO robot contestant attempts to be the fastest to travel from entrance to exit of a maze. The robot with the shortest count in seconds will win.
Robots: Robots must be constructed of official LEGO elements or their generic equivalent. The onboard computing device must be one or a combination of the following: Cybermaster, MicroScout, CodePilot, Scout, Spybots or the RCX programmable brick. There is no limit as to how many or how few computing units a robot employs. Homebrew sensors and multiplexors are allowed, all other modifications to LEGO elements or their generic equivalent is prohibited.
Robot Control: All robots are to act autonomously, that is to say, robots must operate without human control during a match. Robots must be completely self-contained and must receive no outside assistance.
Weight: There is no restriction on robot weight.
Size: There is no restriction on robot size (aside from the physical limitations imposed by the maze dimensions). Additionaly, the superstructure of the robot may 'bulge' above the top of the maze walls. There is no height limit.
Maze Details: The maze is an 7 x 7 matrix of cells defined by an 8 x 8 matrix of posts that are spaced 6 inches apart with walls that slide in between the posts. When two walls form a corridor, this corridor is 6 inches wide. The posts and the walls are 3 inches tall. There are no diagonal walls. Each post has a vertical grove cut into each of its faces to interface with the tongues cut into the wall's edges. The groves on posts that are not connected to a wall interrupt the surface of a wall (expect to snag up on these groves unless you design around them).
Maze Contruction Prototype: Here are some pics of the protoype assembly of the maze we plan on building for the maze event. In this prototype, the walls are 3 inches tall, 3/4 inch thich and 6 inches long (between posts). The hallways are 6 inches wide. The posts are 3/4 inch square with 4, 1/8 inch deep grooves cut into them to allow for the 1/8 inch tall tongue on the walls to anchor. As you can see in the pics, the walls are reconfigurable, but not the posts. The posts will be fixed to the board in a grid pattern wich will ultimately allow for 6 inch hallways in all directions (North, South, East, and West...no diagonals). There are no protrusions jutting out from the walls, however at the posts there is a recess created by the unused grove.
Click image to enlarge
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Prohibited Items and Actions: A robot may not spray any material on the maze and nothing may be deposited in the maze. The method of wall sensing is at the discretion of the builder; however, the robot must not exert a force on any wall likely to cause damage. The robot must negotiate the maze; it must not jump over, climb, scratch, damage or destroy the walls of the maze.
Allowed Items and Actions: A robot may use various forms of detection to locate walls (IR, sonar, touch...) or for navigational purposes.
Programs: There are no restrictions as to what firmware or programming tools you use for your robot.
Maze Race Rules: The total time allowed per robot is called the performace time. The performace time cannot exceed 10 minutes. A robot may choose to not use its entire performace time. The time taken to travel from the entrance to the exit is called the 'run' time.
Performance Start: A performance starts when the builder indicates readiness to the judges.
Run Start: The robot may be placed anywhere on the start end of the playfield by the builder. The run time will start when the robot crosses the boundary between the start area and the first cell of the maze (that is to say, the run time clock will start when the robot actually enters the maze). The start area is about 12 inches long and as wide as the maze. The boundary wall of the maze is continuous except for the single entrance way. This will allow for wall-following style robots to be placed and activated along the wall outside of the maze. Remember, the clock does not start until the robot enters the maze.
Run End: A run ends when the robot crosses the boundary between the last cell of the maze and the end area(that is to say, the clock will stop when the robot actually exits the maze). The run may be canceled prematurely for any of the following reasons:
- The robot has become immobile.
- The robot is trapped in a loop.
- The robot has exited via the entrance of the maze.
- The performace time has expired.
Run Scoring: The run time is recorded for each successful run the robot makes. When the performance time for the robot expires its shortest run time achieved is used for scoring purposes.
Performance End: The performance is over when either 10 minutes has elapsed or the builder has chosen to retire and save the remainder of the performance time.
Maze Race Win: When all robots have used up their performance time, the race winner will be the robot with the fastest run time.
Repairs and Reprogramming: There is no restriction on repairs or reprogramming (aside from the limitation imposed by the performance time).
Good luck,
Jona