DPRG mailing list archives: DPRG: Contest questions

Wed Feb 19 09:50:29 CST 1997

> Howdy from Italy,
> 
> My name is Clay Timmons and I'm fairly new to the group.
> I'm currently on assignment in Italy for a couple of months
> and regret that I can't make the meetings.  I have a few questions
> about the upcomning robotics contest.  I saw the video of the
> '93 contest and the major problem seemed to be getting the
> robot to travel straight enough. 
> 
>   1)  Are there any contest descriptions/rules that
>       can be put on the web page? 
> 
>         My questions may already be answered if such
>         info is available.

Yep!  They're available on the newsletters at:
http://www.dprg.org/nl_mar97.html or http://www.dprg.org/nl_feb97.html .

> 
>   2)  Will there be a line from one goal to the other
>       to allow for line following robot designs?
> 
>         I think this would be great. Use 1" wide masking tape 
>         for the line. Robots should be in categories so that
>         line-following bots are compared with line followers.
>         Robots that have more sophisticated navigation
>         and don't need a line are in another category.  

Yep!  1" tape about 1 foot from the edges.  4 foot diameter curve in the 
end area.

> 
>   3)  What is the distance from one "goal" to the 
>       other?  Also what is the width of a goal?
> 
>         I'm guessing about 30 feet across the width of the
>         Infomart room we usually meet in and perhaps a goal
>         6 feet wide.  I estimate that it will be possible
>         to make it to the opposite goal and back if the
>         robot can maintain a straight course with no
>         more that about 5 degress of error. It may be 
>         possible to use wheel encoders or a compass to
>         keep the robot going straight enough for this distance.

The end areas will by 6' square.  The total length about 36 feet.

>   4)  Is it allowable to place a beacon in each of the goal areas?
> 
>         A little infared emitter would be wonderfull for the 
>         robot to navigate to. 

I don't think it was discussed, but that's ok with me if
it opens the door to participate.

> I have plenty of spare time to think about robot design now that
> I'm living in a hotel room in a foreign country.  If any club member
> has 68HC11 questions or has any comments or questions about Italy
> please e-mail me.  If your traveling to Rome anytime soon I have
> many tips.  Next weekend I'm off to Pompei.
>
> Ciao,
> 
> Clay Timmons   ctimmons at asic.sc.ti.com

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