DC 2003 > Rules

RULES & CONSTITUTION

Download:

DC 2003 Rules & Format (.doc) New

DC 2003 Constitution - Team Requirements (.doc)

DC 2003 Constitution - Team Requirements (.pdf)

DC 2003 Rules & Agreement Form (.doc)

DC 2003 Rules & Agreement Form (.pdf)

PRIZES

1st prize $4,000
2nd prize $2,000
3rd prize $1,000

Sexiest Robot, Most Innovative Team and Most Team Spirit prize is $100 per team.

For the $100 prizes, note that the corporate sponsors will be voting for them.

Download:

DC 2003 Rules & Format (.doc) New - May 28

DC 2003 RULES AND FORMAT

INTRODUCTION

The following rules and point systems for the Gold rush course have been designed in order to ensure a fair, safe, and entertaining competition for DC 2003.

The point system for the placement of balls and goals was developed to give the competitors strategic options. The higher the distance the robots travel to a goal, the more time and battery power the robot uses. Therefore, the points for the farthest and tallest goals are the highest and the points for the closer goals decrease proportionally. The center mountain is most risky, because robots face a higher probability of running into each while close to this drop point. For this reason, balls dropped in this bin are worth the most.

ROBOT SPECIFICATIONS

1. One agent is allowed per team. The agent can break into a maximum of 3 components as described below.

2. Magnets may be used to pick up and drop the metal balls.

3. The agent must be autonomous (e.g. no external controls).

4. The agent must completely fit inside of a 10"x14"x14" measuring box at the start of each match.

5. Each component is allowed to expand (at most) to 44"x44"x44" during a match.

6. The weight of the agent must not exceed 25lbs.

7. Agents are allowed to break into a maximum of 3 components only after the start of a match provided that the following applies: only one starting mechanism can activate the agent at the start of a race. The agents also must be physically touching at the beginning.

8. Any detachable element of the agent, such as weights and props, counts as one of the three maximum units that the agent can separate into. Any unintentional detachments such as screws or wheels during the competition will also count as a unit.

9. The agent will be checked, in terms of size, weight, etc., during the registration. After registration, additional modifications will be allowed only if the resulting agent does not violate any of the rules set down in this section. The head judge must be notified of any additional modifications after the initial inspection.

10. No part of the agent is allowed to leave the confines of the course.

11. No emissions are allowed except those normally associated with electric motors and magnetic fields.

12. No projectiles of any kind are allowed. This includes intentionally rolling a ball into a goal. If a robot drops a ball and the ball unintentionally goes into the goal, this will count. No projectiles will include anything that is not a vertical drop of a ball. (Discretion will be up to the head judge.)

13. No explosives are allowed.

14. No intentional contact with other robots

15. No pressurized tanks are allowed.

16. No flames are allowed.

17. No blocking of the goals or ramps at anytime. If your robot impedes another robot in a blocking strategy, you will be disqualified from the round. Blocking is defined as stopping or repetitive motion at the front of a ramp, on a ramp, or over a drop box for any other reason than to prepare to go up the ramp, pick up a ball, or drop a ball. All other locations on the map are allowed as stop points. If your robot uses blocking strategies but does not actually block a robot, the following will take place: 1st time = loss of 5pts. 2nd = disqualified from round. 3rd = disqualification from the tournament. All blocking rulings will be made at the discretion of the judges.

18. Clarification from email on repetitive motion: No repetitive motion over one or more blocking areas. In order to move over an already traveled path over a blocking area(s) (with out it being deemed repetitive motion) the robot must first move off the blocking area, or areas, and then it can return to those same areas.

19. Clarification from email on blocking zones: Blocking areas are: All ramps, the bases of all ramps, all drop boxes, all plateaus (the top (blue) plateaus of the two mountains are not blocking areas except for the portions containing the drop boxes and pick ups), and in or directly in front of start boxes.

20. No live animals are allowed.

21. The agent must not damage the course in any way. This includes damaging goals, puncturing any surfaces with screws, nails or staples, or gluing anything to any part of the course including the balls. Unintentional damage to the course not listed above may lead to disqualification at the discretion of the judges.

22. All designs are subject to a safety review by the Executive Committee.

SCORING

1. The team with the greatest number of points at the end of the match wins. In the event that the two teams are tied at the end of 3 minutes, the agent that has dropped a ball in the higher plateau will win. If a tie still exists the team who has dropped the most balls in bins will win. If a tie still exists the agent that has traveled the most distance from the start box will win (determined by length and height traveled).
2. If the judges deem the two teams to have dropped the same ball simultaneously, the points will be awarded to both teams.
3. Each robot will be given three brown balls at the beginning of the match.
4. If a robot places a brown ball in the drop box along the ground level of its own side or the neutral zone (ground area under the ramps leading to the center mountain): 1 pt. per ball.
5. If a robot places a brown ball in the drop box of the first plateau of the mountain on its own side: 2pts per ball.
6. If a robot places a brown ball in the drop box of the second plateau of the mountain on its own side: 3pts per ball.
7. If a robot places a brown ball in the drop box of the third plateau of the mountain on its own side or on the first plateau of the center mountain: 4pts per ball.
8. If a robot places a brown ball in the drop box of the center mountain's top plateau: 5pts per ball.
9. For all scoring rules 1-13 points for silver balls are doubled.
10. For all scoring rules 1-13 points for gold balls are tripled.
11. For all scoring rules 1-13 points for balls scored on the opposing team's side points are doubled.
12. Teams can only drop in one ball per box. The box also must be empty for the points to count (If someone has already scored in the box the only way for the opposing team to score on that same box is to remove the opposite team's ball and put in their own. In the event that a team's ball is removed from a drop box, no points are awarded for the removed ball.)
13. Points will be added up at the end of the three minutes.
14. All rulings of the judges will be final.

COMPETITION FORMAT

1. The competition will be a double-elimination tournament.
2. Robots can take balls from any bin and drop box. This includes stealing opponent's balls. If a robot steals a ball it cannot drop it in the same drop box that it was stolen from.
3. Only the balls that are in the drop boxes at the end of the three minutes will count.
4. Each agent will have a chance to run the course individually once before the tournament begins. The score will be recorded and used to rank the teams before the tournament begins.
5. The teams will be seeded in the tournament bracket according to their practice-round scores. In the first round, the top seed will compete against the last seed, the second seed vs. the second-to-last, etc. Teams that do not participate in the preliminary round will be seeded according to their registration time.
6. If there are an uneven number of teams, the top seed will be given a bye for the first round. More byes may have to be given if the number of teams is not a power of two.
7. Each match will last 3 minutes. At the discretion of the judges, matches can be stopped early.
8. If a failure of the course occurs during a match, the match will stop immediately and a rematch will be conducted at the conclusion of the ongoing round. Both teams will start with zero points.
9. Alcohol is not allowed at the competition. Violators will be disqualified.
10. Any Northwestern undergraduate student is welcome to enter the competition.
11. There is a 50$ financial incentive to any team that includes at least one freshman.
12. A maximum number of 40 teams may participate.
13. Removal of the robots from the course can occur if both teams agree their robot has finished its program, if a team member receives permission from an exec board member to remove it because it is in danger of harming itself, if a robot is in violation of any rule or is harming the course.
14. Once a robot is removed from the course, its round is over and whatever points it receives will be added up at the end of the regulatory round.

DC 2003 CONSTITUTION - TEAM REQUIREMENT

1. Contract signing:
Each team member must sign a form stating in order to get reimbursed they must be present and compete during the day of the competition. The advisor must sign that he or she agrees with all rules. If a team refuses to pay, they will receive an incomplete.

2. Receipts:
In order to be reimbursed, receipts must be turned in at each milestone ($100 from the receipts will be reimbursed at the 2nd milestone.).

3. Milestones:
If a team is not present at a milestone, they will be penalized $100 and they must send an email to the DC executive board by midnight one week before the milestone date with an explanation of why they did not attend. If no letter is sent the team will be disqualified. Proposals must be submitted by the deadline.
1st milestone - Must show first design and have a safety review
2nd milestone - Final design and safety proposals must be approved on or before this date.
3rd milestone - Competition day

4. Financing:
A team that DC is not financially supporting must pay $150 for the shop.
Teams are allowed to find there own sponsors; however sponsors of the DC executive board are not allowed.

5. Addition of team members: New !
There will be no adding of team members after the 1st milestone (you can added team members in the interim between when your proposal gets approved/reject and the 1st milestone), unless the individual wanting to become part of the team submits a written proposal to the executive board stating what he/she has already contributed to the team. However, even in this condition, this person cannot be added to a team that already consists of at least 4 members.

6. Elimination of team members:
If a team member is not contributing to the team, the team has to unanimously vote the person off the team as well as submit a written proposal to the DC executive board as well as their advisor. The DC executive board will make the final decision.

7. Weighing in and measuring of robots:
On the day of the competition, a team may request a re-weigh of an opposing team's robot.

On the day of the competition, a team may request a re-measurement of an opposing team's robot's dimensions.
8. Disqualification:
Any team member found in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs during the competition will automatically disqualify the whole team. The team must return all the money back to DC, including the $130 shop money.