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Created by Jake
Mendelsohn
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We at the WCRG would like to thank Jake Mendelssohn for permission to use his rules in our event. Those contestants who have entered our version of the extinguisher are encouraged to take your creation to the International Fire-Fighting Home Robot Contest at the Trinity College campus in Hartford, CT.. First prize at their Grand Finale is $1000.00 (US)! Please be aware however that their ruleset and floorplan are different from that of the WCRG's. Also, winners in our event are entitled to sponsorship to travel to Hartford, last year Trinity offered the following prizes to our event:1st place got $500 USD, 2nd got $300 USD 3rd got $200 USD. However you must actually travel to and compete in their event to redeem these prizes. |
To build a computer controlled Robot that can move through a model structure, find a "burning oil derrick" (lit candle) and then extinguish it in the shortest time subject to a few operating factors (see Scoring section). This is meant to simulate the real-world operation of a Robot performing a fire extinguishing function in an oilfield.
The official floor plan structure contest area is shown in Figure 2. This is exactly what the contest structure will look like with the exception of the home area which is not incorporated in the WCRG's rules. This is not a maze contest where the Robot has to figure out how to move through the structure. The design of the structure will be known before hand (see Figure 2) and the goal is to find and extinguish the candle as quickly as possible.
The walls of the structure will be made of wood and will be 1 inch thick and 13 inches high. The walls will be painted with a white semi-gloss paint. The floor of the house will be a smooth (no ridges), high friction, black surface. As noted in the Appendix A floor plan, all hallways and doorways to room will be 18 inches wide. Doorways consist of an 18 inch opening with approximately 1" wide white line painted on the floor across each doorway to indicate the entrance to each room. The Robot will start at the Home location marked by the H in a circle (on the floorplan only, to on the actual structure). The floor plan is level with no ramps or stairs. The ambient light level in the contest area is impossible to determine until the actual day of the contest. Contestants will be given time on the contest day to make ambient light level readings if necessary to calibrate their Robot. The room lighting will be overhead, but there may be lights associated with video cameras recording the contest that may cast shadows in the structure area.
Once turned on the Robot must be self-controlled without any human intervention, that is, these are to be autonomously controlled and not manually controlled devices.
The Robot can bump into or touch the walls of the house as it travels, but it can not mark or damage the walls in doing so.
The Robot can not leave anything behind as it travels through the house. It can not make any marks on the floor of the house as it travels.
The Robot must, in the opinion of the official judges, have found the candle before it attempts to put it out. The Robot must find the candle before it puts it out. The Robot can not just flood the house structure with CO2 and put it out by accident.
The Robot must not use any destructive or dangerous methods to put out the candle. It can use such items as water, air, CO2, etc, but any method or material that is dangerous or will damage the house is prohibited. For example, the Robot can not explode a firecracker and put the candle out with the concussion. The Robot can not knock the candle over to put it out.
If a Robot accidentally knocks over a candle after it has been put out then it is all right and Robot's trial run will count. The candle will be mounted on a weighted base so that it will not be easily knocked over by moving air or water.
Any mess that a Robot makes (water,whipping cream, etc) in its effort to put out the candle will be cleaned up by the owner of the Robot.
The maximum size of the Robot shall be 12" by 12" by 12". The Robot can not look over the walls of the structure and must never extend itself beyond 12" in height.
There are no restrictions on the weight of the Robot.
There are no restrictions on the type of materials used in the construction of the Robot, except that the Robot must be designed and constructed by the contestants.
There is no restrictions on the type of sensors that can be used as long they do not violate any of other rules or regulations.
No external cables may be connected to the Robot. For instance, the robot must not to be connected to a external computer system for instructions.
The lit candle is represents an oil derrick that has caught on fire, which the Robot is attempting to find and extinguish. The candle will be approximately 8 inches in height. The candle will remain at the same height throughout the event. As the candle burns a spring mechanism pushes it up to keep it at a consistent height (aka "candle lantern") The height and size of the flame is variable. The candle is housed in a framework resembling an oil derrick the base of which measures 4.5" by 4.5".
The candle will be placed at random in one of the room in the house. The candle will not be placed in the hallway. The candle will be put in a different room for each of the 3 trials.
This is the procedure for beginning each trial run of the Robot through the house structure. The contestants will have 10 minutes before each trial to get their Robot ready to begin. They can make any modifications to the hardware and or software within those 10 minutes, but they must begin whether the Robot is actually ready or not. Once the Robot is ready, the candle is placed in a room. The Robot is turned on and the time clock runs. Each contestant are allowed 3 trials. Only the best one counts.
The Robot with the lowest score will be the winner. There are 2 factors which can effect the final score. The Time Score and Standard Operation.
The Robot operates in the house structure with no obstructions other than the walls. The robot finds the candle and extinguishes it. Score of 1 points.
The Robot operates in the house structure with no obstructions other than the walls. The robot finds the candle but does not extinguish it, Score of 4 points.
The Robot operates in the house structure with no obstructions other than the walls. The robot does not find the candle. Score of 6 points.
The Robot's total time it takes to complete its operation. (Up to a maximum of 30 min.)
Is the Robots best score out of 3 trials. The TimeScore * Standard Operation = Final Score
