Robocon International Design Contest – Summer 2012
Theme of Robocon International Design Contest 2012

Table Description & Objectives

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Robocon International Design Contest – Summer 2012
Background
Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry, and is a sublime expression of the beauty of nature.
Bashō Matsuo is best known for his Haiku and Oku no Hosomichi (The Narrow Road to the Deep
North), a dairy of his extensive travels through northern Honshu which is a classic among Japanese
travelogues. Senju was the first post town of the Nikko-kaido to Oushu (at present called Tohoku,
Northeast Japan), and Senju Ohashi is the bridge where Bashō wrote a famous Haiku toward hispupils seeing off as starting on the journey, “往春や (Yuku Haru ya)/ 鳥啼 (Tori Naki) 魚の (Uono)/ 目は涙 (Me Ha Namida)”.
What’s “Haiku”?
Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry, and usually written on a strip of paper. Traditional Haiku
consists of 17 on (on is known as mora) in three phrases of 5, 7 and 5 on respectively. In thiscontest, a colored object corresponds to a phrase. Hence, when put three objects with the samecolor on the scoring board (Tanzaku area) in the same row, it is regarded as a Haiku is completed.
Mission
You will design and built robots to reproduce haiku poets to compose new Haiku giving respect toBashō.
Scoring
Scoring rule is described mainly in three sections.
Contestants control your robots to bring Haiku objects toTanzaku area, and to put them on the area. The Tanzaku
area consists of 3x3 squares, and its row and column carries
a different meaning, respectively. A the basic rule, a Haiku
is completed when three objects with the same color areput on each “5(五)”, “7(七)” and 5(五)” column in the samerow as shown in the right-hand figure. In this case, wefind a Haiku is completed in the “5” row. An object over
several squares is considered to belong to the square
where the projected area of the object is maximum. If the half of the projected area of an object
is out of Tanzaku area, the object is invalid. The meaning of the row implies how much of scoreyou get. Hence, your score depends on the object color and the position where you put objects.
The sliver ball has the special role. A team wins when the own Haiku is completed with goldobjects in first, or the total score at the end of match is higher.

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1．GOLD objects
Six gold balls are set in Senju (center) area at the beginning of match. Gold balls are used tocomplete your OWN Haiku. If you put three gold balls on the “2” or “5” row everywhere in yourTanzaku area in first, you win at that moment. Only in the case of own Haiku, you don’t need keepin the same row rule and the “5(五)”-“7(七)”-“5(五)” column rule.
2．BLUE and RED objects
The left-hand side of the table is for BLUE, and the opposite is for RED.
cylinders with your side color.

There are 9 balls and 9a) Tanzaku area has three rows, the “5” row, the “2” row and the “1”row.
b) If you put three objects with the same color of your side (wedon’t distinguish the object shape) on each “5(五)”, “7(七)” and“5(五)” column in the same row, we regard a Haiku is completed.
When you complete a Haiku, you get a score, the number of therow where the objects are times 10. For example in theright-hand figure, you get 5 (a Haiku is completed in the “5” row)x10 = 50 points.
c) If there are incomplete objects on Tanzaku area, you get a score,
the number of the row where objects times the number of theobjects. For example in the right-hand figure, you get 5x1 (anincomplete object is in the “5” row) + 1x2 (two incomplete objects
are in the “1” row) = 7 points.
d) An object over several squares is considered to belong to thesquare where the projected area of the object is maximum. Ifthe half of the projected area of an object is out of Tanzaku area,the object is invalid.
e) If you put objects with color different from your side, the objects are invalid.
f) If some objects are put on Tanzaku area and your robot touches them, the objects are invalid.
3．Bashō Ball
The silver object is called Bashō Ball. If you put the Bashō Ball on your Tanzaku area, your total
score doubles.

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Scoring Sample
Case 1: The own Haiku of the BLUE side is completed. Hence, BLUE wins.

Case 2: At the end of match,
BLUE gets 5x10 (a Haiku in the “5” row is completed) + 1x10 (a Haiku in the “1” row is completed) +5x1 (an incomplete object is in the “5” row) + 2x2 (two incomplete objects are in the “2” row).
Then the total score is 69.
RED gets 5x10 (a Haiku in the “5” row is completed) + 2x1 (an incomplete object is in the “2” row) +1x2 (two incomplete objects are the “1” row) , and the Bashō ball. Then the total score is 54(subtotal) x 2 (Bonus of Bashō ball) = 108 > 69. Hence, RED wins.

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Scoring in General:
Referees are empowered to make all scoring judgments and interpretation of rules. Defensiveactions are generally allowed to prevent or to make scoring more difficult but strictly subject to therules described below. For example, pushing, pulling, or lifting an opponent are acceptable.
Damaging an opponent or the table is not allowed. Once an object is put on Tanzaku area, itcannot be pulled from the area deliberately.
Rules & Regulations
1. General Principles
a. These rules are intended to create opportunities to learn engineering.
b. Those things not specifically forbidden are allowed.
2. Timinga. Each round of the contest is 90 seconds long.
b. For the first 30 seconds, a bridge between Senju area (center area) and Nikko-kaido(outside area) DOES NOT EXIST. After the first 30 seconds, the bridge appears
automatically.
c. For the first 30 seconds, there is anarea robots are forbidden to enter.
For example in the right-handfigure, robots of BLUE side do NOT
enter the hatching area during thefirst 30 seconds until the bridge
appears. Robots of RED side do
NOT enter the opposite area.
d. After a match, a control unit must
be released from a robot within 60
seconds.
3. Winning & Advancing
a. The contest consists of qualifying round and final tournament.
b. Qualifying round is a four-group league match. Three teams are competing in a league,and the top two teams in each league will advance to the final tournament. Some teams
are tie for wins in a league, a team with more total score is more advantage.
c. The final tournament is a single elimination one.
d. If a match is finished in a tie, the following tie-breaking rule is applied; 1) identify the robot
in each team on the Nikko-kaido farthest from the Tanzaku-area board, 2) measure theshortest distance between the Tanazaku area board and the robot, c) the team with theVer 1.02 (05 Aug. 2012)

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Robocon International Design Contest – Summer 2012shortest distance LESS than the other is a winner. (This rule comes from the story ofBasho’s travel. That is, a robot far from Tanzaku area implies it doesn’t travel so much,and a robot in Senju area doesn’t start yet.)
4. Control
a. Team members must control their own machines.
be actively involved in manipulating the controls.

Two team members at a maximum canb. All control must be accomplished without contacting the robot.
c.

Control may be achieved via wireless device supplied by the referees and IDC staff.

d. A contestant may not deliberately interfere with the remote control of the opposing
player.
e. Robot drivers must wear safety glasses when in the vicinity of the table.
prescription glasses are acceptable.

Some

5. Robot Configuration
a. Materials: Your entire robot must be made from the kit materials and components in a
specified list. Your team also can purchase something for robots under the expense of1000 yen (almost $10). Electric components must be authorized by the referees.

Screws,Bolts, Nuts, Washers, Stick Glue, Vinyl tape for electric insulator are prepared in the machine
shop. They can be used adequately when needed, but are not allowed to be used as
structural materials. Grease is also prepared in the machine shop.

Irreversible working

such as cutting, bending and deforming for items with recycle mark in the list is strictly
forbidden.

Un-functional ornaments can be attached.

b. Control Unit:

Two control units are distributed for each team. A control unit provides

electrical energy supply, PWM control for DC motors, small electric current less than 1A,
electromagnet control and air actuator control. The control unit can be connected to acontrol pad via a wireless technology. Those functions of the control unit can be controlled
manually by the control pad. You MUST consult IDC staff with respect to electric rating if
you introduce and connect additional electrical parts you buy to the control unit. You may
need a protection circuit.

The control unit is NOT allowed to be used as structural material

for each robot, i.e. a robot must be designed so that the control unit can be quickly-release.
Battery charging in the control unit MUST be operated by only IDC staff to avoid accidents
and damaging batteries.
c. Size and weight:

Your entire robot including the control unit and the air container must fit

in the Starting Box at the time of impounding and at the beginning of each match when set
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up on the table.

The size of the starting box is defined 500mm cubic volume. The startingarea on the table is the same. Your entire robot must be less than 5kg excluding thecontrol unit and air container.
d. Fabrication: You can use machines in the machine shop, for example, bench drillingmachines, band saws, lathes, benders. Tools for hand working are also available, e.g., saws,hand drills, taps, dies, soldering irons etc. You may ask technical advisers in the machine
shop and IDC staff how to use them.
e. Energy:

Energy may be stored in batteries, compressed air, elastic strain, and gravitational

potential energy.

In terms of electrical energy, only the energy supplied from the control

unit is available.

Total stored energy may not exceed 30kJ. This limit will be enforced by

the referees based on calculations the team must provide.
0.5MPa pressure.

Compressed air may not exceed

Mechanisms using large amounts of rubber or springs must haveadequate safety locks to reduce the chance of accidents.

These locks may be removed

once all contestants and onlookers are safely away from the device. Safety of all forms ofenergy storage will be at the discretion of the faculty and judges.
f. Energy charging:Contestants will be responsible for charging their compressed aircontainers, springs, rubber bands, etc. Charging batteries in the control unit is operated byonly IDC staffs during production period and contest day because some technical operationand experienced observation are required for charging batteries avoiding accidents anddamaging batteries.
g. Set-up for match:Your machine may be reconfigured between rounds.

One reason toreconfigure is to accommodate the differences between the right and left sides of the field.
You will know at least 5 minutes before you compete which side your machine will beassigned. You will have access to set up your machine within the starting box prior to eachround. You should be able to complete your set set-up fully in less than three minutes.
6. Sporting Conduct & Safety
a. Damaging, overturning, pushing and lifting an opponent’s robot is not allowed (althoughblocking without intentional touching an opponent’s robot is allowed).
b. Once scoring is accomplished, it cannot be reversed by defensive actions, but additionalscoring can be prevented.
c.

Damaging the contest table and or control equipment is strictly forbidden.

d. In the case of destruction deemed by the judges to be accidental, the judges may permit
repairs and a rematch.
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Robocon International Design Contest – Summer 2012e.

Contestants and spectators (i.e. any human beings) may not directly affect the motion of themachines or anything else on the table.

f.

Any robot components or table items that depart the table cannot be manually
re-introduced to the table during a round.

g.

All machines turning the power of the control unit on have to fit into the 500mm cubic
starting area on your side at the starting time.

h. It is permissible to drive a robot off the table during a round. It is permissible for a robot toreach outside the boundaries of the table during a round.
i.

Nets or entanglement devices are not permitted, but other defensive devices generally arepermitted.

j.

After the time limit, the referee judges the winner of the match according the points asmentioned.

k.

NO DANGEROUS MACHINES. THE JUDGES’ DECISIONS ON SAFETY MUST BE RESPECTEDAND OBEYED PROMPTLY.

General questions may be asked of all participating faculty, graduate students, undergrad assistants,
and staff of IDC2012. However, all officially sanctioned rule interpretations will be made by thereferees. The key rulings will be discussed every morning at the opening meeting. The questions
and answers will also be archived at the Robocon web site.
Haiku Object sizea. Ball – diameter is 150mm
b. Cylinder – diameter of top and bottom is 150mm, height is 150mm.

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Table sizea. Top view:

NOTE: the level at c and c’ is even.

b. Table side view:

In B-B section

In A-A section

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List of “Kit” for IDC 2012Quantity Recycle※Article
Plywood

450 x 600 x 5.52

Plywood

24 x 24 x 600

2Aluminum plate

450 x 600 x 0.5

1Aluminum plate

450 x 600 x 1.2

1Aluminum plate

450 x 600 x 2.5

1Aluminum flat bar

6 x 50 x 500

1

Aluminum "L"Profile

30 x 30 x 500 (t=2)

2Aluminum "L"Profile

40 x 40 x 500 (t=2)

2Aluminum square pipe

15 x 15 x 500 (t=2)

2Aluminum rod

φ6 x 500

2Aluminum rod

φ4x1m

2

Vinyl chloride board

500 x 500 x 3

1

Rubber sheet

1000 x 150 x 1

1

Rubber band

d=22, length=4404

Rubber bondAdhesive Tape

1d=191D-sub connector(15pin)

2Motor2○

DC motor for wheel

4○

Pneumatic cylinder

4○

Micro-switch

2

Solenoidal electromagnet

2Free bearing

4Gear box2

Cardboard

605 x490 x475

Traditional Japanese paper
Bamboo1
11m

2

Bamboo Basket

1Japanese hand towel1

Spiral spring

L=1000, 2.0[kg]2

Plastic tie

120mm

10Plastic tie

200mm

10Plastic tie

280mm

5Clip (small)10

Clip (large)

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Polyurethane tube

800mm1Free article: black wire, redwire, screw
NOTE: Irreversible working such as cutting or bending is prohibited so that wecan recycle these materials after contest.

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