TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Challenge 2011

TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Challenge 2011 “Hot Rod”

Designed for TCEA by: Danny Diaz July 2011

DRAFT VERSION 2


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Revision History

7/21/2011 (Draft Version 1) 1. Original Release of Game Rules

8/1/2011 (Draft Version 2)

1. Updated Section 4.1 to include TCEA discount purchase of game pieces. 2. Updated Task 4.3.7 to change “TIME” to “SUBSISTO” 3. Updated Task 4.3.7 to include “Advice” section on thinking before using. 4. Added Rule 5.0.7 to prevent teams from manually changing contents of robot. 5. Updated Section 5.1.1 to reflect both Intermediate and Advanced. 6. Updated Section 5.1.2 to reflect Advanced Only. 7. Rewrote Section 5.1.2 to instead double penalties if both rods enter Meltdown. 8. Added note to Section 5.1.0 that Intermediate is free of “variations” at State. 9. Changed Section 2.3.1 to average all 3 scores (instead of add). 10. Modified Section 4.2 to reflect to contact TCEA for ordering this year’s mats.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS (AKA: The guide to the “important stuff”)

Section 1 Competition Background………………………………………………………………….. xx 1.1 Team Structure……..…………………………………………………………………… xx 1.2 Competition Theme…………………………………………………………………… xx

Section 2 Competition Format…………………………………………………………………………. xx 2.1 Tournament Scheduling…………………………………………………………….. xx 2.2 Match Procedures……………………………………………………………………… xx 2.3 Team Ranking…………………………………………………………………………….. xx Section 3 General Robot Rules…………………………………………………………………………. xx 3.1 Allowed Materials………………………………………………………………………. xx 3.2 Robot Etiquette………………………………………………………………………….. xx Section 4 Game Description……………………………………………………………………………… xx 4.1 Game Pieces………………………………………………………………………………. xx 4.2 Field Layout………………………………………………………………………………… xx 4.3 Game Tasks………………………………………………………………………………… xx Section 5 Game Specific Rules………………………………………………………………………….. xx 5.1 State Championship Variation……………………………………………………. xx Section 6 Field Construction…………………………………………………………………………….. xx Section 7 Scoring Examples……………………………………………………………………………… xx


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Section 1 Competition Background

The TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Competition is a middle- and high-school robotics competition based on the LEGO Mindstorms robotics platform. This competition is administered by the Texas Computer Education Association; its mission is the improvement of teaching and learning through the use of computers and technology. Each year teams of students, sponsored by members of TCEA, receive a set of challenge rules and specifications designed around a theme that varies from year to year. Teams compete against one another in head-to-head competition through regional and state level play.

1.1 Team Structure Teams are the sole builders and programmers of the robots in the TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics competition. All efforts are done by team members, with the sponsors or teachers providing support and mentorship. 1.1.1 Teams are lead by at least ONE team sponsor and are composed of at most

FOUR students. Students are not allowed to be part of multiple teams. 1.1.2 Only registered students are allowed to touch the robot and computer that is

used to program it – the only exception is when technical problems with the computer occur. Live student problem solving is the spirit of this competition!

1.1.3 Only registered students will be allowed in the team work area/competition arena area.

1.1.4 Teams must designate one student member to be the TEAM CAPTAIN. The team captain is the only person from a team that can review and/or initial score sheets or contest field setup with the referees.

1.1.5 Students in grade levels 4th – 8th may compete in either Intermediate or Advanced level competition.

1.1.6 Students in grade levels 9th – 12th may ONLY compete in Advanced level competition.

1.2 Competition Theme The 2011 TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Competition game is titled, “Hot Rod” and is designed around nuclear disaster cleanup and nuclear waste management. April 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the most devastating nuclear disaster of the 20th century, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine. March 2011 – one month shy of the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl – saw the disastrous Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident in Japan as a result of an earthquake-induced tsunami. The accidents themselves were terrible,


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but the cleanup of both accidents involved putting more than a million cleanup workers in perilous danger of radiation poisoning and in contact with toxic materials (and that number keeps increasing as the cleanup of Fukushima Daiichi continues). Instead of human beings cleaning up the accident sites, mechanical robots should be solely involved in the cleanup efforts of the accident areas. The need for mechanical robots performing all of the cleanup activities is evident in the results of the cleanup of Chernobyl. In the weeks and months following the Chernobyl accident approximately 800,000 workers were needed to help clean up the nuclear site; these workers were given the official title of “Liquidators” by the government. They primarily worked on rooftops and other areas near the reactor shoveling radioactive debris, attempting to clean up and contain as much of the dangerous rubble as possible. Even though they wore heavy protective suits, which lead to the military giving them the nickname “Bio-Robots” due to their robotic appearance inside the suits, the liquidators could spend no more than 40 seconds at a time at the facility due to the high levels of deadly radiation. Even then, it was common to have teams of liquidators working in two minute shifts at the site. Many of the workers were coal miners, and some of them were duped into working in the cleanup effort by being told that the work was “coal mining training.” Tens of thousands of liquidators died within 10 years of the accident, a large percentage of them to acute radiation poisoning. Even today Chernobyl survivors still experience mental and physical health problems due to being exposed to radiation from the accident cleanup. In the 2010 TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Competition challenge, teams are working for a mock company known as TCEA Nuclear Containment Services Incorporated, a company based in Central Texas that designs robots that can be deployed to a nuclear site to quickly contain the problem, prevent further damage or a possible meltdown, and clean up the accident site. Your company is asking you to develop and test state-of-the-art robotics systems to manage accident recovery at a nuclear facility.


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Section 2 Competition Format

The “Hot Rod” game is a head-to-head challenge where two teams are separately competing on identical physically adjacent competition areas. Teams work to complete their tasks as efficiently and effectively as possible.

2.1 Tournament Scheduling Each tournament will attempt to keep to the same scheduling for consistency between tournaments. Depending upon the number of teams, the time allotted for the tournament, and/or the number of playing fields available, the actual tournament schedule may vary from tournament to tournament. A typical tournament is scheduled in rounds; in the first round, all teams play one match versus another randomly selected team. Once all teams have played at least one match, the round is over and the tournament typically takes a short break. In the second round, all teams play another match against different teams, until all teams have played at least twice. The same goes for the third round, where all teams play against a different opponent than previously played, until all teams have played at least three times. The tournament should attempt to maintain a minimum amount of time between matches for each team to allow teams time to tweak their robots and programs between rounds. 2.1.1 Teams have 3 attempts, or rounds, in which to play to earn points. 2.1.2 Each match is 2 minutes (120 seconds) in duration. 2.1.3 Rounds never occur in immediate succession for any team. 2.1.4 No two teams play each other twice; in situations where too few teams are

present, the use of surrogate teams is allowed. 2.1.5 If any teams play more than three rounds, as in the case of surrogates, only

the team’s first match in each round counts for points.

2.2 Match Procedures Prior to each match, the referees or table reset crew will place game pieces on the field as according to the rules. Teams must inspect the field and ensure that all game pieces are correctly placed. Team members ARE NOT allowed to move game pieces themselves; if the team wishes to contest the placement of game pieces prior to the end of their setup time, the team must request the referee to correct the placement. Teams may begin to set up their robots on the table when instructed by the referees. 2.2.1 Teams have a minimum of one minute to set up their robots prior to the start

of the match.


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2.2.2 After one minute of setup time has elapsed, if referees have determined that both robots are legal and meet all robot requirements, referees may start the match whether the teams are ready or not – teams MUST be able to set their robots up quickly.

2.2.3 If a referee determines that a robot is not legal, the team must bring the robot into compliance before starting; if a team cannot bring their robot into compliance with all robot rules, the team may be disqualified.

Each match begins when indicated by the tournament host, head referee, or individual field referee; this may be done with any means indicated to teams prior to the beginning of the tournament. 2.2.4 Once the match begins, teams are allowed to initiate action to start their

robots (starting their programs, pressing a touch sensor, waving hands across an ultrasonic sensor, etc…).

2.2.5 Robots must begin the match in accordance to all rules, including but not limited to robot size, robot location, and any other rules defined. Once the match starts, robots may exceed any robot size limitation for the duration of any fully-autonomous play.

2.2.6 While the match is in play, robots are fully autonomous unless specified by the specific game rules. Robots may not be controlled or influenced by outside interaction.

The match continues until the match timer expires or the referee (or other designated official) calls the end to the match. 2.2.7 The match timer NEVER pauses. 2.2.8 Once the match ends, teams must turn off their robots. Teams MAY NOT

remove their robot from the field of play, nor move their robot from its final condition, until instructed or allowed by the referee.

The referee will complete a score sheet indicating the condition of the field (and the robot) at the moment the game ended. 2.2.9 Any action taken by the robot after time expires is not valid, and any such

action will be reversed by the referee to restore the field state to the condition present at the end of the match.

The score sheet might indicate the number of points a team has accumulated during a match, or it might only indicate the specific field condition; in situations where the score sheet only indicates field conditions and NOT point values, the final score will be calculated by the scorekeeper using software provided to the tournament and will not be calculated for teams


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before leaving the playing field. The completed score sheet must be initialed by the referees AND the team captain prior to leaving the field. The score sheet is then the ONLY and FINAL indicator of the results of the match, and CAN NOT be contested EXCEPT when the score sheet itself is in clear violation of the game rules (i.e. the score sheet indicates invalid field conditions or a score that is impossible). In NO SITUATIONS will external review be admitted or allowed, especially video replay – this is NOT the NFL.

2.3 Team Ranking Teams are ranked based on their performance in the game. 2.3.1 In order to factor in a team’s repeatability with their robot, all 3 scores will

be averaged together to form a ranking score. 2.3.2 In the event that two or more teams have the same ranking score at the end

of the tournament, the lowest score will be used as a tie breaker. 2.3.3 For teams tied for first, second, or third places only, a sudden-death playoff

match can be played to break any remaining ties. Each tournament will determine awards based on these rankings.


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Section 3 General Robot Rules

The robot is the cornerstone of the competition. Teams are given the game rules in advance of the tournament and teams design, prototype, build, program, and test their robots prior to arriving at the competition site. With these built and programmed robots, teams compete against one another in the tournament. These rules provide the general framework for standardizing robots and keeping the game fair.

3.1 Allowed Materials This competition is a LEGO Mindstorms competition, and so all robots must use the LEGO Mindstorms product to build and execute their robot design. 3.1.1 Teams are allowed to use exactly ONE LEGO Mindstorms programmable

processing unit; this could be an NXT or RCX controller. 3.1.2 Teams are allowed to use any number of LEGO-branded sensors on their

robots, excluding the LEGO Mindstorms Sound Sensor. Teams are NOT allowed to use sensor multiplexing devices, and sensor signals must originate from sensor ports on the programmable processing unit. Teams may use as many unmodified LEGO wires and/or converter cables as necessary for their sensors.

3.1.3 Teams are allowed to use any number of LEGO-branded motors on their robots. Motor signals and power MUST originate from motor ports on the programmable processing unit; robots with motors using sensor ports will not be allowed to compete. Teams are NOT allowed to use motor multiplexing devices. Teams may use as many unmodified LEGO wires and/or converter cables as necessary for their motors.

These electrical parts limitations of LEGO-branded devices is important – ONLY LEGO-branded devices are allowed to be used. HiTechnic and similar third-party devices are NOT allowed to be used; Compass, Accelerometer, and similar devices are not allowed because LEGO does not make these devices. 3.1.4 There are no restrictions on the quantities or sources of non-electric LEGO

elements, except that factory-made wind-up/pull-back “motors” are not allowed. Pneumatics ARE allowed.

3.1.5 Teams are not allowed to melt, deform, cut, bend, glue, solder, or otherwise alter LEGO elements (plastic and electrical) for use in their robots – the only exceptions are that LEGO tubing or LEGO string may be bent and/or cut to length.


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3.1.6 Teams are allowed to incorporate non-electrical non-LEGO parts on their robots to enhance functionality or as decorations, but there is no requirement to do so; ALL TEAMS are REQUIRED to have a Bill Of Materials (BOM) whether or not they are using non-LEGO parts on their robots. The total retail value of all non-LEGO parts may not exceed $5, and all teams that incorporate non-LEGO parts must specify the quantity and cost of each of the items in use – scrap or surplus items with less than one cent per square foot retail value may be specified as having zero cost. The BOM must be in the following format:

Description Cost Quantity Total

LEGO Plastic & Electronic Parts -- Unlimited --

1981 DeLorean DMC-12 $2.50 1 $2.50

Flux Capacitor $1.00 1 $1.00

Plutonium Rods $0.25 2 $0.50

Stopwatch $0.25 2 $0.50

Pet Sheepdog, “Einie” $0.25 1 $0.25

Cardboard, Scrap $0.00 Unlimited $0.00

Tape, string, popsicle sticks $0.00 Unlimited $0.00

TOTAL $4.75

3.1.7 Extra items may not be used to enhance the structural stability of your robot,

only the functionality or aesthetics. Extra items (such as tape, string, etc.) cannot be used to reinforce the LEGO structure — they may ONLY be used to attach other objects.

REQUIRED


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3.2 Robot Etiquette

At the competition, there are a number of things that teams should not do with their robots, and vice versa if the robots were so inclined.

3.2.1 All teams using NXT systems must disable Bluetooth on the device at all times. Only programming via the USB cable is allowed for NXT systems.

3.2.2 All teams using RCX systems must be mindful of other RCX robots when downloading programs. Use only the lowest power setting, and please shield your robot/tower when downloading programs.

3.2.3 No computers are allowed in the competition area within 10 feet of any robot or programmable controller. Teams are strictly forbidden from bringing any computers into the competition area at all – with the only exception of security reasons, and in those situations the computer must be OFF at all times when in the competition area.

3.2.4 Light detecting, color detecting, and Ultrasonic sensors are allowed but realize that no consideration will be made for ANY interference to them.

Ultrasonic interference at the competition must be expected. Please consider carefully your choice to use an ultrasonic sensor, as your opponent’s ultrasonic sensor will most likely cause your ultrasonic sensor to incorrectly function (and vice versa). However, please observe Gracious Professionalism in this matter; if it is determined by any referees or competition staff that your robot is using an ultrasonic sensor in a way specifically designed to subvert the use of an ultrasonic sensor by your opponent, the competition staff may ask that you remove the sensor from your robot. 3.2.5 At the conclusion of each match, teams should inspect their robot and

ensure that all pieces are accounted for. Robot parts left at the table are not guaranteed to be returned, even though all reasonable efforts will be made to do so.


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Section 4 Game Description

As described in Section 1, this year’s game – “Hot Rod” – is based in a mock nuclear facility managed by TCEA Nuclear Containment Services Incorporated; the challenge is to produce a robot capable of quickly, efficiently, and safely cleaning up a nuclear facility after an accident event has occurred. The company has chosen a test site for you to demonstrate the functionality of your robot. Field setup, game tasks, and resulting points will vary based on the competition level being attempted (Intermediate or Advanced). The general task for your robot is to relocate active and depleted nuclear fuel located throughout the facility to the designated areas, and/or remove depleted nuclear fuel from the facility.

4.1 Game Pieces

For “Hot Rod,” the sole game pieces are red and black plastic interlocking checkers made by the Pressman company. A single standard set of checkers contains twelve (12) red and twelve (12) black checkers, and is enough pieces for a single team regardless of skill level. TCEA has a deal with the Pressman company to provide game pieces to TCEA teams at a discount; contact TCEA for more details. Teams may also purchase sets of “replacement” checkers online to use in the game (http://amzn.to/osXgKH), or they may purchase inexpensive checkers game sets with equivalent parts (for example, http://amzn.to/qf4J3r). Most all checkers sets made by the

Pressman company use the correct type of checkers, and can be found in various stores and online. Teams should be careful if purchasing checkers from other vendors for use in “Hot Rod,” some “chess and checkers” sets use wooden parts that are not equivalent to those used in “Hot Rod.” Both links in this document (as well as the deal from TCEA) are for checkers parts made by the Pressman company. Red checkers in the game represent Active Fuel Pellets and black checkers in the game represent Depleted Fuel Pellets. Fuel Rods are made up of one (1) or five (5) Fuel Pellets of the same type stacked on each other and interlocked, depending on the level of play. In the Advanced level, a Fuel Rod is composed of exactly five (5) Fuel Pellets of the same type stacked on one another, with only the lower Fuel Pellet in the Rod touching the game mat or any other non game piece (e.g. wall, robot, force field, etc…). Any other combinations of Fuel Pellets (such as a stack of four (4) Fuel Pellets in Advanced play) are merely counted as the number of Fuel Pellets in the stack - they are not considered a Fuel Rod but merely individual Fuel Pellets. In the Intermediate level, a Fuel Rod is composed of exactly one (1) Fuel Pellet – in Intermediate play, the terms Fuel Pellet and Fuel Rod may be used interchangeably.

http://amzn.to/osXgKH

http://amzn.to/qf4J3r


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4.2 Field Layout The competition field for “Hot Rod” is composed of a simple table frame, 2 competition mats (one for each team), and 48 game pieces (24 per side, 12 red and 12 black). The competition mat chosen for this year is the “Race Against Time” mat produced by LEGO Education (part number W990974, or http://bit.ly/PBVw9); teams can purchase this mat through TCEA at a discount for this competition season only. Contact TCEA for info on ordering mats.

WARNING: teams that participated in TCEA Robotics in previous years may have purchased these mats already, but the mats for 2011 “Hot Rod” have been redesigned and made of a different mat material. The pattern printed on the mat is identical to previous years, and there are no distinguishing marks on the mat, so it may be difficult to distinguish a previous year’s mat from the current year. It is recommended that teams mark the underside of their mats as “2011” mats immediately upon receiving their mats (taking caution not to mark in an area or in a way that shows through to the front of the mat).

The competition mat was chosen to provide a uniform field layout for the game so that teams and tournaments would be able to reproduce the same field environment for practice and competition. The mat has 5 primary areas that are of interest to “Hot Rod” – the Nuclear Materials Reclamation Sluice, Cooling Tower, Nuclear Reactor, Waste Disposal Area, and the Decontamination Chamber. The next several sections describe each area in detail.

4.2.1 The Nuclear Materials Reclamation Sluice The Waste Water Nuclear Materials Reclamation Sluice is similar to a gold miner’s sluice box – it sorts out nuclear materials from the water and/or trash that may have leaked out after an accident. The reclamation sluice has 10 horizontal marks approximately 4 inches wide and just over 1 inch long – these are called Material Collection Marks. The sluice is designed so that nuclear materials will cling to the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th Material Collection Marks as measured from the double-arrows (with the 10th mark being the mark farthest away from the double-arrows). It is impossible to know which kind of nuclear material will collect on each mark, but it is guaranteed that two (2) Active (red) Fuel Pellets and two (2) Depleted (black) Fuel Pellets will cling to the Material Collection Marks during each testing phase (one Pellet per Mark). Fuel Pellets may cling to any part of the Mark, but it’s also guaranteed that 90% or more of the Fuel Pellet will overlap the mark.

Figure 1 –Waste Collection Spillway

Material Collection Marks

http://bit.ly/PBVw9


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4.2.2 The Cooling Tower

The Cooling Tower is the area where the Active (red) Fuel Pellets and Active (red) Fuel Rods need to be brought in order to prevent nuclear meltdown of the nuclear materials. The Cooling Tower is an area ringed by a black circle, and is approximately 24 inches in diameter. The black outer ring IS NOT part of this area.

4.2.3 Nuclear Reactor Sites Nuclear Reactor sites are where Fuel Rods are used to produce power. A Nuclear Reactor Site is an approximately 2 inch diameter area that is circular and contains a shape similar to a cross-hair. There are 5 Nuclear Reactor Sites on the competition mat; 3 are located inside the Cooling Tower, and 2 are located outside the Cooling Tower. The outer Nuclear Reactor Sites have become faulty after the accident, and are not properly cooling the Active (red) Fuel Rods that are housed inside the sites. The inner Nuclear Reactor sites are functional and additionally cooled by the Cooling Tower, so the Active (red) Fuel Rods should be brought to the inner Nuclear Reactor Sites. Unfortunately two of the inner Nuclear Reactor Sites have not been serviced yet (service was scheduled for next week!) and still contain Depleted (black) Fuel Rods that must be cleaned out before they can be used.

4.2.4 Waste Disposal Area

The Waste Disposal Area is the only approved location to store Depleted (black) Fuel Rods and Depleted (black) Fuel Pellets on the competition mat – your robot serves as the only other approved waste containment receptacle (so long as the fuel is not touching the mat). Workers at the Waste Disposal Area know how to sort through, sift, and remove any Active (red) Fuel Pellets and/or Active (red) Fuel Rods that may end up in the Waste Disposal Area, whereas your robot cannot properly handle any Active (red) Fuel. At TCEA

Waste Disposal, Waste is not just what we handle best, it’s also our middle name.

Figure 2 – Cooling Tower Area

Figure 3 – Nuclear Reactor Sites

Figure 4 – Waste Disposal Area


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4.2.5 Decontamination Chamber The Decontamination Chamber is where your robot starts the game, and where your robot can be serviced during the game. Robots must have at least one Drive Wheel touching the Decontamination Chamber rectangle on the mat, AND the robot must be touching the two walls closest to the Decontamination Chamber to be considered “IN” the Decontamination Chamber (drive wheels are defined as wheels that move when the robot is lifted off the surface of the field). Robots are allowed to be “serviced” without penalty if the robot is “IN” the Decontamination Chamber, and robots are allowed to “continue” the game if they are “IN” the Decontamination Chamber.

4.2.6 Field Setup

The Field Mat for “Hot Rod” should be positioned such that the Decontamination Chamber is in the lower left hand corner of the field when viewed from the short edge of the table (the 10th Material Collection Mark should be closest to the center wall than any other wall). Images depicting the mat in sections 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.4, and 4.2.5 would all have the center wall running horizontally along the top side of the image. See Section 6 for more information on how to orient the field mat for “Hot Rod.” There are two levels of game play for “Hot Rod”, Intermediate and Advanced, and each requires a subtle variance in the definitions of Fuel Rod and Fuel Pellet. Other than the definitions of a Fuel Rod and a Fuel Pellet, the field is set up the same for both levels of play.

For Intermediate game play, both an Active (red) Fuel Rod and an Active (red) Fuel Pellet is composed of one (1) and only one red checker piece; in Intermediate play, the terms “Active (red) Fuel Rod” and “Active (red) Fuel Pellet” are used interchangeably. Likewise, in Intermediate game play both a Depleted (black) Fuel Rod and a Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet are composed of one (1) and only one black checker piece; in Intermediate play, the terms “Depleted (black) Fuel Rod” and “Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet” are used interchangeably. For Advanced game play, an Active (red) Fuel Rod is composed of exactly five (5) red checker pieces stacked on top of one another interlocked, and an Active (red) Fuel Pellet is composed of exactly one (1) red checker piece. Also in Advanced game play, a Depleted (black) Fuel Rod is composed of exactly five (5) black checker pieces, stacked on top of one another interlocked, and a Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet is composed of exactly one (1) black checker piece.

Figure 5 – Decontamination Chamber


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The two Nuclear Reactor Sites outside the Cooling Tower should each have a single Active (red) Fuel Rod placed completely inside its circular border. The Active (red) Fuel Rod does not have to be centered, but it still must be completely within the circular border of the mat symbol. Two of the three Nuclear Reactor Sites inside the Cooling Tower should each have a single Depleted (black) Fuel Rod placed completely inside their circular borders. The Depleted (black) Fuel Rod does not have to be centered, but it still must be completely within the circular border of the mat symbol. The Nuclear Reactor Site that does not receive a Depleted (black) Fuel Rod should be chosen at random – it does not matter which Site does not receive a Depleted (black) Fuel Rod, as long as the opposing team has the exact same configuration.

The Nuclear Materials Reclamation Sluice has 10 Material Collection marks, only four (4) of which are used. The mark directly between the two arrows on the mat in the Sluice area is Mark #1, and the mark farthest away from the arrows is Mark #10; only marks 2, 4, 6, and 8 will be used. Two (2) red checkers and two (2) black checkers will be placed in random order on these marks – one checker per mark – and it doesn’t matter which checkers are placed on each mark as long as the opposing team has the exact same configuration. The checkers must be placed on the mark such that 90% or more of the checker must overlap the mark; this severely limits how much variation there can be on the short dimension of the mark, but the checker can be placed anywhere on the long dimension of the mark (the location of the checker on the long dimension of the mark DOES NOT have to match for the opposing team).


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Figure 6 – Zone Breakdown of Game Board

LEGEND

Reclamation Sluice

Cooling Tower

Nuclear Reactors

Waste Disposal

Decontamination


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4.3 Game Tasks

In “Hot Rod,” a team’s robot must perform specific tasks on the challenge field. These tasks can be completed in any order, and not all tasks must be performed. Each task completed by the robot accumulates points, though the tasks are not evaluated until the END of the match – if a task is completed, and then undone by robot action before the end of the match, then the task is obviously not completed. Some tasks will grant partial points for completing them partially, while others require the entire task to be completed before any points are awarded. “Hot Rod” employs differentiated scoring for Advanced versus Intermediate play, which means the score calculation and task goals may differ between levels of play. Differences will be indicated here in the task list.

4.3.1 Remove Depleted Fuel from the Cooling Tower In this task, the object is to remove all Depleted Fuel from the Cooling Tower. Two (2) Reactors within the Cooling Tower will initially have Depleted (black) Fuel Rods in them, and your robot needs to remove the depleted fuel in order to make the Cooling Tower safe for workers and make the inner Reactors capable of handling Active Fuel to power the site. The goal at the end of the game is to have all Depleted (black) Fuel Rods and Depleted (black) Fuel Pellets completely outside the Cooling Tower area. [Intermediate] [Advanced] Points awarded for removing all Depleted Fuel from the Cooling Tower: 20 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 20 points.

4.3.2 Move Active Fuel Rods to the Inner Reactors In this task, the object is to move Active (red) Fuel Rods on the game board to the inner Reactors within the Cooling Tower. This allows the nuclear facility to produce its own power, and allows it to be more efficient in the cleanup. Fuel Rods must be complete, and must touch a Nuclear Reactor mark (one mark per Rod). In Intermediate play it’s possible to have all three Nuclear Reactor sites with Active Fuel Rods touching; in Advanced play only two are possible. [Intermediate] Points awarded for each Inner Reactor with an Active (red) Fuel Rod touching it: 30 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 90 points. [Advanced] Points awarded for each Inner Reactor with an Active (red) Fuel Rod touching it: 30 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 60 points.


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4.3.3 Clean up Depleted Fuel from the Site There are two ways to clean up the Nuclear Facility in “Hot Rod.” The first method of cleaning up the facility is by moving the Depleted nuclear material to the Waste Disposal Area; in the Waste Disposal Area, teams of workers are ready to process hazardous materials and ensure they are quickly and safely disposed of. The second method of cleaning up the facility is by removing the Depleted nuclear material from the mat manually using the robot; the robot is rated as a nuclear containment vessel for Depleted nuclear materials, and can safely indefinitely store these materials instead of giving them to Waste Disposal Area workers to process. Be careful – if Active nuclear material is collected by the robot, it will invalidate all the work you did and render the contents of the robot unscorable! [Intermediate] Each Depleted (black) Fuel Rod WITHIN the Waste Disposal Area: 25 pts Each Depleted (black) Fuel Rod WITHIN the Robot (and not touching the mat): 50 pts ANY Active (red) Fuel Pellets WITHIN the Robot (and not touching the mat): NULLIFY ROBOT Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 200 points. [Advanced] Each Depleted (black) Fuel Rod WITHIN the Waste Disposal Area: 50 pts Each Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet WITHIN the Waste Disposal Area: 5 pts Each Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet WITHIN the Robot (and not touching the mat): 20 pts ANY Active (red) Fuel Pellets WITHIN the Robot (and not touching the mat): NULLIFY ROBOT Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 240 points.

4.3.4 Open Source Solution Being able to bring robots to the market that can clean up a nuclear facility after an accident is one thing, but sharing the technology with others around the world is another. This task is designed to promote sharing of your technology with others by allowing them to see what makes your robot “tick” – more specifically, what materials you used to build your robot. You must show the referee your correctly-formatted Bill of Materials, and by doing so you will be awarded points. The referee may not ask for the Bill of Materials, so be sure to show it!

[Intermediate] [Advanced] Points awarded for showing the referee your Bill of Materials: 25 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 25 points.


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4.3.5 Move Active Fuel Pellets to Cooling Tower Active (red) Fuel is incredibly hot when not properly cooled, and should be cooled in the Cooling Tower in order to prevent meltdown. Meltdown is the term used for when Fuel Pellets (in Rods or by themselves) get so hot that they melt the metal surrounding them, and even melt the nuclear material into a pool of what’s known as “nuclear lava”. The “nuclear lava” can then get so hot that it breaches the containment vessel they’re stored in, allowing nuclear material and its radiation to seep into the environment. It is very important to prevent this from happening by keeping the Active (red) Fuel properly cooled. Therefore, in this task you are to make sure all Active (red) Fuel is within the cooling tower - this includes Active (red) Fuel Pellets and Active (red) Fuel Rods. [Intermediate] Points awarded for each Active (red) Fuel Rod in the Cooling Tower: 25 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 100 points [Advanced] Points awarded for each Active (red) Fuel Pellet in the Cooling Tower: 5 points. Points awarded for each Active (red) Fuel Rod in the Cooling Tower: 50 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 110 points

4.3.6 BONUS: Lend a Helping Hand

In this bonus, the objective is to prove to your opponent that you are able to help them save their nuclear facility if they find a need to ask for your help. To show your neighbor that you are capable of doing this, your robot must be touching your opponent’s mat when time is called at the end of the match.

[Intermediate] [Advanced]

Points awarded for your robot touching your opponents mat at the end of time: 25 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this bonus: 25 points.

4.3.7 BONUS: Minute To Win It I bet you can’t finish the game in one minute or less. If your team captain calls out “SUBSISTO” (Latin for “Stop” – this word was chosen because a team probably has no reason to say this word except to stop the match) for your robot - and turns your robot OFF - with more than 60 seconds remaining in the match you will be awarded extra points. Remember, you cannot score any more points after calling “SUBSISTO.” If you are considering stopping the match early, please let the referee know before the match starts; this doesn’t mean you’re then required to stop the match early – that option is always available to the team captain but


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you’re in no way obligated to it – but it merely lets the referee know they need to be watching the clock a lot more carefully the first minute of the match! WORD OF ADVICE: While this bonus may look like “free points,” it is not. Carefully consider the opportunity loss that will result when deciding to make use of this bonus, and “do the math” to determine what makes the most sense for your team in competition. [Intermediate] [Advanced]

Points Awarded for calling “SUBSISTO” and halting the robot in the first 60 seconds: 25 points. Maximum Points Awarded for this task: 25 points.

4.3.8 Penalties Failing to properly clean up the nuclear facility comes with serious consequences to the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors nuclear facilities very carefully, and failure to maintain environmental integrity results in huge fines to the company, a bad image for the company, facility, and the town, and environmental issues that could wreck the local economy. Be forewarned: the following items are the penalties in the game. [Intermediate] Penalty for EACH Active (red) Fuel Rod NOT in the Cooling Tower: -10 pts Penalty for EACH Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet NOT in Waste Disposal or NOT in Robot: -10 pts [Advanced]

Penalty for EACH Active (red) Fuel Rod NOT in the Cooling Tower: -50 pts Penalty for EACH Active (red) Fuel Rod in “Meltdown”: -25 pts Penalty for EACH Active (red) Fuel Pellet NOT in the Cooling Tower: -10 pts Penalty for EACH Depleted (black) Fuel Rod NOT in Waste Disposal: -50 pts Penalty for EACH Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet NOT in Waste Disposal or NOT in Robot: -10 pts NOTE: An Active (red) Fuel Rod is considered in “Meltdown” if it no longer meets the qualification of being a “Fuel Rod” – i.e. is no longer a stack of 5 Fuel Pellets with only the bottom Pellet in the stack touching the mat or other objects on the field (other than other Fuel Pellets). In Advanced Level Play, there are two (2) Active (red) Fuel Rods in play at the start of the match – for each Active (red) Fuel Rod that is no longer a Rod at the end of play, the “Meltdown” penalty will be applied. There are no penalties for Depleted (black) Fuel Rods that undergo a similar “Meltdown” action. NOTE: In order for a Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet to be considered “in” the Robot, the Depleted (black) Fuel Pellet must not be touching the mat AND be in contact with some part of the robot.


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Section 5 Game Specific Rules

These rules are here to define game-specific actions or specifications, on top of or in replacement of any general rule that might be in place. 5.0.1 Teams start out with 400 points. 5.0.2 Robots must start the match with at least one drive wheel touching the

Decontamination Chamber AND must be touching the two walls closest to the Decontamination Chamber. Robots may start the match at any location within the Decontamination Chamber and in any orientation as long as these rules are followed.

5.0.3 At the beginning of the match, the robot shall be no larger than a 12 inch cube, unrestrained. This means that at rest, with nothing holding any part of the robot back, the robot’s dimensions measure no more than 12” x 12” x 12” in size. There is no weight limit on the robot. Once the robot is in play, there is no restriction on the size of the robot.

5.0.4 Team members are allowed to “recover” their robot during play – this is equivalent to having a recovery team retrieve the robot from the facility. If a team decides to recover their robot, any checkers touching the robot are left on the field (excluding those contained within the robot) and the robot is “disabled” and immediately returned to the Decontamination Chamber. A team is allowed to “recover” their robot no more than 5 times, and each time the robot is recovered there is a touch penalty assessed of 10 points.

5.0.5 Robots may return to the Decontamination Chamber for service without incurring a penalty. Robots must have a drive wheel touching the Decontamination Chamber and must touch the two walls closest to the Chamber, and the robot may be “disabled” without penalty.

5.0.6 While the robot is “disabled” within the Chamber, the team may change programs or repair/rebuild the robot. No new outside parts may be added to the robot, but parts may be removed – and once they are removed, and the robot restarted, they may not be re-added to the robot. The robot also may not be rebuilt to be physically larger than it was when it was disabled. The robot may be started again anywhere within the Safety Zone as long as some part of the robot is physically touching the Safety Zone AND the wall closest to the Safety Zone.

5.0.7 Human players on the team may NEVER handle the contents of the robot if the robot is carrying nuclear material. This primarily means that team members are not allowed to add, remove, reorganize, or otherwise manipulate game pieces once they are in the robot. The penalty for doing so is disqualification.


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5.0.8 Robots must be able to handle some field variances, such as tolerances in board length/width/height and slight waviness in the field mat. Teams should not rely on specific field attributes that can vary with tolerances (such as the amount of spacing under the center wall, the vertical angle of the field walls, etc…) when designing their robots.

5.1 State Championships Variation

It has become a kind of tradition to have a variant to the rules for the State Championships. This gives teams an extra “something” to strive for, and if known in advance teams can design for it in the beginning. No existing rules change, but additional rules are added for teams. 5.1.1 [Intermediate and Advanced] In the State Championships ONLY, full

completion of task 4.3.4 is REQUIRED before any points may be awarded. Task 4.3.4 may be completed in any order with any other task, but if by the end of the match this task has not been completed, the team will be assigned a final score of ZERO points.

5.1.2 [Advanced Only] In the State Championships ONLY, no more than one (1) Active (red) Fuel Rod is allowed to undergo “meltdown” as defined in section 4.3.8. If both Active (red) Fuel Rods enter into the “meltdown” state, the game ends immediately for the team (regardless of time remaining). The team’s robot must be stopped immediately, and the state of the field will be assessed. The team will still receive points for completed tasks, but any penalties assessed based on the state of the field will be DOUBLED.

Yes, you read that correct – there is essentially no variation for Intermediate teams except the requirement set forth in section 5.1.1. Consider that a “gift” this season from TCEA.


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Section 6 Field Construction

The field used in the “Texas Tea” competition is a fairly simple frame designed to keep robots from leaving the field of play, providing a physical alignment “barrier” that can be used by the robot, providing game-specific facilities, and ensuring a consistent field surface under the competition mat. The field is a required element in this year’s game. The field is composed of standard components that can be purchased at any Lowe’s or Home Depot home improvement stores. These components DO NOT REQUIRE ANY CUTTING, so if a table saw or similar tool is used to build the field then it is most likely not going to be correct. Please read the ENTIRE instructions before starting. Larger pics are available at the end. Here is a list of items you will need to purchase:

Quantity Part Dimensions Length Notes

1 3/4" Birch Plywood Sheet 4'x8' -- Birch is required as it provides a smooth, straight surface and the plywood has exact dimensions.

6 Lumber 1"x6" 4' Actual size: 0.75" x 5.5", 4 feet long



8 Corner Braces 2" -- Usually come in a pack of 4 with 3/4" long screws (so 2 packs needed total)

50 Wood Screws #10 1 1/4" Get screws and countersink bits to match.

1 Countersink w/ bit tool -- -- Countersink tools with drill bits can countersink AND drill pilot holes. Necessary for this project. MATCH!

It is important to purchase a countersink tool for this project; we will be drilling into the bottom and sides of wood, and we do not want to scratch furniture with protruding screws. You can buy countersink bits with drill bits also attached to them, which makes the process of drilling a countersink and a pilot hole one easy step. The countersink drill bit is about $5, and comes in multiple bit sizes – if you purchase #10 wood screws, you need a #10 countersink bit. #10 wood screws are the recommended size screws, but any size you can get between #6 and #12 will do. Corner Braces are another important item. It will be assumed that the Corner Braces will come with their own screws, no more than 3/4” in length. I purchased Home-Depot brand corner braces, (EverBilt 2” Corner Braces, 4 pieces per pack). It really doesn’t matter what corner braces you purchase, so long as they’re strong – we use the corner braces for additional support for the walls – and that the screws used do not protrude from the wood on the other side.


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Building the field structure can be performed in a couple easy steps: Step 1 - Lay out the 3/4” Birch Plywood with a smooth side

facing down. On the top of the plywood, place four 1”x6”x4’ lumber boards on the plywood lengthwise so that the 4’ length of the lumber spans the 4’ length of the plywood. Two of these boards should be placed on the ends of the 8’ span of the plywood, and the remaining two should be placed 24.5” apart from those. This will create a 25” gap in the center of the board. These boards will be used later to mount the walls of the frame to the boards. It is important to place the end lumber boards flush with the 3 sides of the plywood that they share, and it is also important that the boards be placed as straight as possible. It would be advisable to use simple clamps to hold the wood in place, as the next step may get messy of they aren’t secured in place.

Step 2 - Drill countersink/pilot holes in the

wood BEFORE drilling the screws into the wood. If you do not drill pilot holes FIRST, the wood may crack and/or split. 2 screws should be placed 2” into each lumber board, 1.5” from the side of the board. This should be duplicated on both sides of the board. 2 additional screws should be put 24” into the board, 1.5” from the sides. Additional screws may be placed as desired, so long as the screws are placed in one-inch multiples (no half-inch measurements). Perform the same actions on all 4 boards. These will serve as the “feet” for the board, and will also act as the mounting surface for the walls (you NEVER want to screw into the side of plywood, as the ply will separate and damage the plywood). This is where the board clamps will come in handy; as you’re drilling countersink/pilot holes it’s easy to bump the lumber boards and throw the pilot hole alignment out of whack.


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Step 3 - Flip the plywood board over, and mount the first 4’ side wall. You want to mount a 4’ 1”x6” board to the side of the `feet’ you created in the previous two steps. Remember, it is NOT WISE to drill into the side of plywood, so only drill into the side of the lumber boards we mounted to the underside of the plywood. You want to drill pilot holes 3/8” from the bottom of the board, and in intervals starting at 1.5” into the board then continuing in 5 inch increments. In the image, only the first screw is shown, and screws should be placed at each guide line increment (10 total in this step). Note that the side-wall board will be completely flush up against the 4’ side of the plywood, and flush to the bottom of the lumber “foot” of the board.

Step 4 – Now mount an adjacent

8’ 1”x6” side wall board to the structure. Again, you will be mounting screws 3/8” from the bottom of the board, in the pattern shown. On this 8’ side of the board, you are mounting the wall to the 5.5” side of the 1”x6” lumber board `feet’. For optimal mounting, screw two screws 1” and 2” from the edge of the board, and then 1” and 2” from the opposite edge, leaving a 1.5” gap between the two center screws. Do this 4 times (16 total screws in this step) on this side of the 8’ board. Once completed, this will leave a 3/4" square gap between the 8’ and 4’ side of the boards. This is expected, and will be strengthened in the next step.


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Step 5 – Time to strengthen the walls. At the top of the boards, and then again 2” from the top, place corner braces on the outside of the walls. This will provide the walls with extra strength, while at the same time not affecting the performance of a robot (and we didn’t have to cut boards down to provide excess wood for mounting). Use the provided screws (if 3/4” in length or less) to mount the corner brace to the wood. If desired, additional (or longer) braces may be used.

Step 6 – This is merely a “wash, rinse, and repeat” step. Perform steps 3, 4, and 5 as necessary

to mount the two remaining side walls using the 4’ and 8’ 1”x6” boards and the rest of the corner braces. This will create roughly 4” tall walls surrounding the playing field. The actual height of the wall may vary depending on how close the thickness of the plywood is to 3/4"; it is quite common for the plywood thickness to be slightly less than 3/4", which will make the inner height of the walls slightly larger than 4”.

Step 7 – Now to mount the center wall

between the two 4’x4’ fields. As you’ve probably realized the mats used in “Texas Tea” are EXACTLY 4’x4’, and the plywood we’re using is EXACTLY 8’x4’ long. This doesn’t really provide any room to place a center wall between the two robot playing areas. To compensate for this, we will use the 4’ long 1”x4” board. The actual size of the board is 0.75”x3.5”, and what we’ll do is mount the board flush to the TOP of the outer walls. This means there will be approximately 1/2" of open space under the board; the board will not rest on the surface of the playing field. Attempt to center the board over the center of the playing field; a tolerance of 1” is allowed – robots wanting to use walls as alignment barriers can use any of the other side walls to do so. By mounting the center wall above the playing surface, it allows the mats to snugly sit on the playing surface. Drive screws through the 8’ outer walls uniformly to mount the center board in place. 3 screws on each side should be sufficient.

Step 8 – Place the mats on the board. You may use a thin double-sided tape to adhere the

outer edges of the mats to the plywood surface. It is recommended that you clean the plywood surface first, however, as there will most likely be sawdust on the wood from drilling the pilot holes. Align the mats with the outer field corners (and not to center).


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Individual Step Pictures (large size)


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Section 7 Scoring Examples In this section, some scoring examples are presented. This is designed to help teams and referees understand the task rules, scoring method, and game field layout. However in some of these scoring examples the robot is NOT going to be shown, and the robot condition in these situations will be noted. SCORING EXAMPLES TO BE ADDED

TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Challenge 2011

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Transcript of TCEA LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Challenge 2011