Annex B: Exploration Challenge

Aim:

The aim is to attain the highest possible score by using one or more robots to move and deposit balls into goals.

Details:

1. Each team can deploy up to 3 robots during the game.

2. The play field is constructed using 4 student desks, two rulers of length 1 metre, one ruler of length 50 cm and three trays. Two trays will be placed on the two sets of tables, and one placed on the floor. These trays consist of the lids of A4 printing paper boxes (see Fig. 2).

3. The trays should be attached firmly to the table or floor with adhesive tape or some other means so that they do not move during the game.

4. The distance between the first and second set of tables is exactly 50 cm. A 50 cm ruler must be fixed to the floor between the tables to ensure that this spacing exists throughout the game. (see Fig. 1).

5. The distance between the second set of tables and the scoring tray on the floor is exactly 2 metres. Two one-metre rulers will be fixed end-to-end on the floor to ensure that this spacing exists throughout the game. (see Fig. 1).

6. Each robot can have a maximum size of 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm at the start of the game, but it is allowed to expand after the game starts.

7. At the start of the game, each of the 3 robots may be deployed at any position chosen by the team. This includes the top of the two sets of tables.

8. At the start of the game, no part of any robot must be within the boundary of the starting tray when seen from above. All robots must be at rest before the game begins.

9. The maximum duration of each game is 3 minutes. Timing will begin from the instant any of the robots on the field start moving. Teams can choose to end the game early.

10. A whistle or some other clear audio cue is sounded to start the game. A second whistle or some other audio cue is sounded to stop the game. These audio cues are used to allow the timing of the game to be calculated accurately.

11. At the start of the game, all 10 tennis balls will be put into the starting tray on the first set of tables.

12. The object of the game is to score the maximum number of points by depositing the tennis balls into the scoring tray on the second set of tables, onto the robots on the floor, or into the scoring tray on the floor.

13. Robots must pick up the tennis balls on their own. No manual loading of balls onto robots is allowed.

14. Team members can only control their robots using remote control. They may not physically handle the robots while a game is ongoing.

15. If a robot malfunctions or becomes incapacitated during the game, it is no longer available for the duration of the game.

16. Robots are allowed to leave parts on the field without penalty. However, such parts must initially be carried securely by the robot above the ground, and must not be pushed or pulled by the robot while resting on the ground. The dimensions of the robot, including such additional parts, must be within the limits of 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm.

17. Any ball that has left the tray must either be held by a robot or be put into a scoring trays on the second set of tables or the floor.

18. Any ball that comes into contact with the floor cannot be used for the rest of the game, and must be left on the floor. Balls which drop onto the tables can still be picked up by the robots for use in the game.

Scoring:

1. At the end of the game, the scoring will be done according to the following method:

   • A ball that is located in the scoring tray on the second set of tables or held by a robot positioned on top of the second set of tables will score 4 points.

   • A ball that is held by a robot on the floor will score 7 points.

   • A ball that is located in the scoring tray on the floor will score 10 points.

2. Scoring sequence:

   • Balls must be moved from the first set of tables to the second set of tables before they can be moved to the robots on the floor and then to the scoring tray on the floor.

   • Balls cannot be immediately lowered from the first set of tables to the floor.

   • In summary, the sequence of scoring is:

   • 1st set of tables > 2nd set of tables (on robot or inside tray) > Robot on floor > Scoring tray on floor.

   • If a team is able to, they may move the balls directly from the second set of tables directly to the scoring box on the floor.

   • Final score = (No. of balls on second set of tables x 4) + (No. of balls on robot(s) on floor x 7) + (No. of balls in scoring tray on floor x 10).

   • In the event of a tie (equal scores between two competing teams), we will use the timing to decide on the winner.

Video submission:

1. For the purposes of scoring, two (2) video files are to be submitted to the organisers by the deadline. The two video files should be uploaded onto an online video hosting platform such as YouTube, and their internet addresses (URLs) are to be sent to the organisers. The videos should not be available to the public so as not to reveal the teams' game strategy. For example, in YouTube, the videos should set as "unlisted" so that they cannot be found by a public search.

2. The submission of the URLs to the videos must be made at: https://forms.gle/vbjhRrYWUexYA7nd7.

3. The teams must ensure that the videos are accessible by the organisers. For example, they may initially be restricted to access by people in your schools.

4. The team will use two (2) video cameras to record video footages of one game simultaneously from different directions which can be decided by the team (see Fig. 3). The aim is to ensure that all important occurrences during the game are recorded, so that scores can be awarded by the judges accurately and unambiguously. This means that the videos must show all of the robots as well as the entire field for the entire game. In particular, the rulers on the floor must be visible in the videos, to ensure that the desks and scoring bin are correctly positioned. A video submission that contains ambiguity or lack of clarity may not be acceptable, and cause the team to be disqualified. For example, if the video footage of a robot depositing a ball into the tray is blocked by a object so that it cannot be seen clearly. The students controlling the robots must also be visible in the videos.

5. Teams should submit the videos early so that the organisers may alert them of any problems in the footage before the deadline. No video submissions will be accepted after the deadline.

6. Any video camera of acceptable resolution can be used to record the video footage. It is expected that teams will use the cameras on smartphones. Teams are advised not to use cameras with poor clarity or resolution (e.g. from older smartphones), as they may produce footage which do not show the game proceedings clearly. On the other hand, there is no need to use very high-end and expensive cameras for recording the videos.

7. Each video must run continuously with no breaks. No editing of the videos is allowed. The raw video footage must be submitted.

8. The time taken by the team to complete the game will be calculated using the running time in the video. The timing will start at the sound of the first whistle (or some other audio signal) to start the game. The timing will stop at the sound of the second whistle to stop the game. If the audio cue is missing in the video, the judges will assume that the time taken for the game is the time taken from the moment the robots start moving until the end of the video.

9. In the event of a tie (equal scores between two competing teams), we will use the timing to decide on the winner.

Photo submission:

1. Teams must submitted three (3) photos of each of their robots, taken from the front, side and top.

2. The purpose of this photo submission is to ensure that all robots used fall within the 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm size limits.

3. For each photo, two (2) 50 cm rulers must be placed next to the robot perpendicularly to each other, with the scales clearly visible to allow measurement of the size. See Fig. 4 for an example of how the three photos should look like.

4. Teams are to upload the photos onto an online repository like Google Drive or Box.net and submit the URLs to the photos in the submission form at https://forms.gle/vbjhRrYWUexYA7nd7.

Google Form for submission of Videos and Robot photos:

The internet addresses (URLs) of the videos of each team's best game, as well as the URLs of the photos of the front, side and plan views of each robot, must be made at the following web form:

https://forms.gle/vbjhRrYWUexYA7nd7