Uncle Milo Challenge
The Challenge:
Once again, Uncle Milo is being pursued by the rabid dog Cujo. While stumbling through thick jungles in his attempt to escape from the dog, Uncle Milo bursts into a clearing filled by ancient Aztec ruins. Tripping over some tree roots, he dashes for a break in the walls of the ruins, and runs inside. Once there, he suddenly realizes that the ruins form a rough maze, and he has not kept track of his path. By pure luck, he manages to find his way out the other side, where he meets your team (we haven't figured out exactly why you are in the jungle
next to Aztec ruins with your team and a robot, but we are sure you have a rational explanation). Panting with exhaustion, Uncle Milo is relieved to see you. While telling his story, he suddenly realizes that when he tripped over the tree roots while entering the maze, he dropped several items from his backpack. These include his memoirs, which he hoped to sell to Random House Publishers for a substantial sum. The memoirs were rolled up inside his thermos (where they were safely protected from the elements in the jungle, where it is the rainy season), which is now on the opposite side of the maze. One item Uncle Milo managed to keep was an ancient Aztec artifact that permits remote viewing (kinda nifty, eh?). While discovering this, you see Cujo emerge from the jungle and enter the maze. It is now too dangerous for you to go into the maze yourself, lest you be found by Cujo and attacked. But you must retrieve the thermos containing Uncle Milo's memoirs from the other side before Cujo finds his way through to where you are now waiting. Fortunately, you just happen to have your robots with you, and you will use them to navigate through the maze, recover the thermos, and return it to Uncle Milo before Cujo attacks.
The Rules:
The Game
G1 - each robot will start next to the entrance to the maze. The robot must enter the maze, navigate through it to the exit, obtain the "thermos" (represented by a full can of Coke), return through the maze, and deposit the Coke in a goal located next to the maze entrance.
G2 - after returning through the maze, the robot must deposit the thermos on top of the goal, which will be a cinder block resting horizontally on the floor. The top of the cinder block will be no more than 8 inches from the floor. The Coke can may be placed on the block in any orientation, but must be at rest on the block to complete the task. The robot may be in contact with the Coke can at the end of the round.
G3 - robots may move, bump or jostle both the target and goal cinder blocks, but may not knock them over. The robots may knock the Coke can off the cinder blocks to the floor, but the Coke can must finish standing on end on the goal cinder block to successfully complete the task.
G4 - because the ruins (maze) are covered, the robot operator will not be able to directly view the maze.
G5 - the team may either use a coach to give direction to the driver OR navigate by the on-board video camera provided, but not both.
G6 - once you have gone through the maze and obtained the Coke can, the "maze ceiling collapses" and you will be able to directly view the maze for the return trip back to the goal. However, this will not be of any benefit or detriment to those who choose to navigate by camera
G7 - any robot that successfully completes the maze using only video navigation gets a 1 min bonus (subtract 1 min from their finish time).
G8 - each team will have a maximum of five (5) minutes to complete the task. At the end of five minutes, Cujo will have found his way through the maze and will attack your group.
G9 - fastest time wins. Once the round starts, any human intervention or contact with either the robot, Coke can, or maze, will be assessed a 30 second penalty. Intervention does not include walking the can to the finish point.
G10 - You cannot damage the thermos so as to expose the contents (or Uncle Milo’s memoirs would be damaged or destroyed!).
The Robot
R1 - each team will use their existing Prototype #1 mobility base as the mobility system for their robot.
R2 - to each mobility base, you must add a mechanism which can obtain the thermos from the target, and deposit it in the goal. The entire robot must be constructed from approved materials, as described in the "Resources" section below.
R3 - each robot must initially occupy a volume no greater than 18 inches wide by 18 inches long by 16 inches tall.
R4 - each robot must include a location for mounting the wireless video camera and battery pack, which measure 3"x3"x6". The video from this camera will be displayed in another room. A camera will be placed on the robot whether the team chooses to navigate by it or not.
The Playing Field
F1 - the "maze" will be an area measuring no more than 15 feet x 15 feet, filled with obstacles and view blocks measuring at least 16 inches tall. The entrance and exit will be on opposite sides of the maze. Your robot must negotiate the maze; it cannot circumvent the maze.
F2 - the maze will have turns no sharper than 90 degrees. The maze will be a path marked on the floor. If the robot leaves the path, the robot is assumed to have fallen into quicksand, been snatched by hungry wumpuses, or become entangled in jungle growth and is declared lost. A new robot must then be sent it (in other words, you have to start over, but the clock keeps ticking) Do not assume the maze will be entirely level, but you can assume that it will be flat surfaced (ramps might be present)
F3 - the thermos (Coke can) will initially be located on a target, which will be a cinder block resting horizontally on a small platform on the floor. The top of the cinder block will be 12 inches from the floor. The Coke can will be standing upright on the cinder block, with the center of the Coke can 3-4 inches from the edge of the block.
The Resources:
M1 - all raw materials currently in the robot shop are available for use (ie. all the wood stock, PVC pipe, polycarbonate sheets, etc are available for incorporation into the new robots. R/C electronics components, fasteners, wire, etc are all allowed. Tools, parts from last year's robot, pieces of furniture, etc are not.) If you are not sure about the use of a material, just ask for a rules clarification from the judges (teachers or engineers).
M2 - each team can use up to three of the small hobby can motors currently stored in the shop (if we run out, we can buy more at Ryder's Hobby, with no penalty to the teams)
M3 - each team has a total $20 budget which may be used to purchase additional materials (see table). The materials must be obtained from either Ryder's Hobby or Home Depot. The combined purchases from both sources must not exceed the available team budget (receipts will be collected for verification)
1’x1’x3/8" (or thinner) Wood (Plywood, Pressed, Particle, Solid)
2’x1"x1" Aluminum channel, angle, and/or rod
3’ braided cable, rope, string, twine, and/or monofilament
Hinge (with or without spring)
All dimensions are maximums; you are not required to purchase or use the entire amount purchased, but you cannot purchase more than what is listed.
M4 - the wireless video camera to be used during the time trials will be provided at start of each robot’s run and will have it’s own power source and will be available for limited amounts of time during construction for fit testing.