Common rules

for all the categories

 

Safety

Three laws of robotics apply:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Isaac Asimov: The complete robot, Nightfall Inc., 1982.

In case that device does not conform the safety rules, the jury may not allow it to participate and may not allow its operation.

Each robot, that could harm the participants, spectators, or devices, will be immediately shut down.

 

Construction and materials

There are no limits given on construction. There is only one requirement - the robot must be build by a competitor (competitors). This does not exclude commercial construction kits (LEGO, Fishertechnik), restricted are only complete final products.

Electronics and Sensors

No part of the robot can't work with voltages greater than 24 V. Total power consumption should be less than 20 A. Exceptions from this rule must be confirmed by jury. All control circuits must be parts of the robot. The robot may not be controlled from any external device, for example external PC connected to the robot by cable or wireless.

There are no restrictions on electronic parts and power supplies.

There are no limits given on sensors type, count and dimensions, if they do not break other rules.

Competitors may not use external tools for navigation improvement (labels, beacons, mirrors,.).

The jury

There will be jury watching over the rules.

The jury has at least three members, it consists of the univeristy and sponsors representatives, professionals and students.

The jury decisions are deinitive in each controversial situation and also in the questions of rules interpretation.

Disqualification

The robot is disqualified when breaks any rule of the competition, but especially in these situations:

• dangerous behavior, safety danger,
• destroying, damaging the track,
• the robot breaks apart while moving.

The participants are not allowed to use any equipment which harms or disturbs another robot (e.g. jammer, light flash, interferring ultrasonic or infrared transmitter). Disturbances or assistance caused by intervention of humans during a competition are forbidden, as well. In case of violation of this rule, the contestant will be disqualified immediately.

Climate conditions

The competition will take place in usual climate conditions (T = 270 - 310 K, p = 90 - 120 kPa, 0 - 90% RH).

The real illumination of the scene can not be pre-determined. Before the competition, there will be time for optimal settings of all sensors. The organizer can not guarantee that people won't cast shadows on the scene.

Warning: Constructers need to realize, that modern cameras use flash and infrared transmitters for focusing. The construction should count on these interference signals, because the competition will be electronically recorded using many of such devices.

Documentation

Every team has to submit a technical documentation, which describes electronics, construction and control algorithm. The minimum is to fill the web-page with the prescribed form. This form used to be filled in advance, during the registration. Without the technical details filled in, the jury may not approve the participant for the contest.

On demand of the Jury, the participant used to be ready to answer detailed questions about the construction and/or its software.