Introduction

Early one morning there is an explosion at Gateway Chemco, a local chemical factory. Workers are trapped in the blazing building, but chemical spills inside make it too dangerous for fire fighters to enter right away. Robots have been called upon to aid in this disaster. As the members of your robotic search-and-rescue team, you must send intelligent robots into the burning building to help extinguish the flames and save the trapped victims.

Objectives

Robots must make their way to the fire zone by traversing a series of hazards, collecting water as they go. Upon arrival, victims can to be found and rescued by delivering them to the safe zone. Robots must complete their tasks within three minutes before the building burns down!

	Start corner – starting point; located in the safe zone; near large water station.
	Safe zone – place to deliver rescued victims; contains large water station.
	Fire zone – where water is to be delivered and victims can be found.
	Hazards – different classes of obstacles obstructing the course.
	Water Stations – areas where water can be found.
	Water – collected along the way and delivered to the fire zone to score points.
	Victims – can be rescued by delivering them to a safe zone to score points.

Description

• Each robot will start in its own colored start corner located in their respective safe zones , designated at the beginning of the round.
• Each start corner is located near a plentiful water station.
• Each robot must traverse an identical series of hazards, making their way to the central fire zone.
• The fire is in the center of the fire zone, and can be seen from almost anywhere.
• There is a small water station located halfway between the safe zone and the fire zone.
• Water can be deposited in the fire zone to score points for the team of that water’s color.
• Victims can be found in the fire zone.
• Victims are considered rescued upon delivery to that team’s safe zone.
• Though each robot will have its own water (colored respectively), victims are neutral, and can be rescued by either team!

Scoring

• The first team to reach the fire zone will be awarded 1 point.
• Water deposited in the fire zone is worth 2 points each for the team of that water’s color.
• Victims delivered to a safe zone are worth 10 points each for the team of that safe zone.
• Points are counted at the end of each round, and are based on the final positions of water, victims, and robots.
• In the case of a tie by points, the following tie-breaker rules will be enforced:
  • The team that rescued the most victims.
  • The team that delivered the most amount of water to the fire zone.
  • The team whose robot has broken the vertical projection of the fire zone.
    • If both teams meet the previous tie break, the team whose robot’s start button is closest to a victim.
    • If neither team meets the previous tie break, the team whose robot’s start button is closest to the fire.
• A team whose robot fails to leave its start corner will receive 0 pointsfor the round.
• A round may be decided by a judges’ ruling. All judges’ rulings are final!

Restrictions

• Robots must be able to fit within a 15”x15”x15 ” box before each round starts, however, can expand to any size once the round has begun. This rule will only be enforced if challenged by an opposing team.
• Robots that are considered by a judge to be entangled or immobilized may be restarted in that team’s start corner with a 10-second time penalty.
• Robots have only three minutes to complete their assigned operations.

Construction

2 4’x8’ plywood boards 1” PVC pipe (approximately 1 5/16” OD) 2 – 112” (1 black, 1 white) 2 – 76” (1 black, 1 white) 2 – 45” (1 black, 1 white) 2 – 22 ½” (1 black, 1 white) 4 90 degree PVC 1” corners (2 black, 2 white) 2 PVC 1” Ts (1 black, 1 white) 20 ping-pong balls (water; 10 black, 10 white) 2 WWE Ruthless Aggression Series 12.5 Eric Bischoff (victims) 1 light bulb (fire) 1 porcelain light fixture Paint (black, white, and orange) Specifics will be available soon!

All measurements are from the edge of the board, NOT the inner PVC.

Close up of the hazard section of the arena. Legend of Hazards Color Hazard Material   12" x 0.75" (3/8" Radius) Half-Dowels   12" x 0.75" (1/2" tall)  Panelling   8" x 5" (3" tall) Boxes