Minimal maze

Time limit

5 minutes

Control method

Autonomous

Aim of the challenge

The minimal maze is a simple course made of wood. Walls are 64mm high and are painted different colours as shown in the diagram below. Sensors or a camera will be required for this challenge! The maximum sized robot allowed is to scale on the following images – click to embiggen! The full plan of the course, including measurements and coloured walls is available as a PDF here.

The aim of the challenge is for your robot to drive autonomously around the course without touching any walls, thus incurring penalties.

The course will be driven twice and the times added together to make a final time.

Ranking and points

Competitors will be ranked according to the total amount of time taken to drive the course, the robot with the shortest time will take first place. Only those robots that have completed two runs will be eligible for ranking.

Points will be awarded to the top ranked robots like so:

1st: 40 points
2nd: 32 points
3rd : 25 points
4th : 18 points
5th : 15 points
6th : 12 points
7th : 10 points
8th : 8 points
9th : 6 points
10th : 4 points
11th : 2 points
12th : 1 point

Additional points

5 points will be awarded for each completed run.
10 points will be awarded for each ‘clean’ run. (i.e. no walls touched).
10 points will be awarded to robots that use sensors/cameras only to navigate the course. i.e. This bonus will only apply to robots that are not pre-programmed with distances and angles etc.
The robot with the fastest single run will be awarded 10 additional points.

Penalties

It is permitted to rescue the robot and place it back on the course at the place where things went wrong once per run without penalty but the clock will not be stopped.
An additional rescue is permitted, incurring a 30 second penalty.
A third rescue is not permitted, instead the run must be abandoned.
Abandoned or non-completed runs will be penalised by 2 minutes.
Each time the robot touches a wall, a 10 second penalty will be incurred.