Legged Race
Object: Legged robots face off against each other in distance/progress/ability challenges over various rough but equal terrains. Devices will be compared on a ratio of size, number of motivating limbs, lift/drive capabilities, dynamic verses static designs, and terrain/problem handling abilities. Devices shall be awarded points based upon their ability to handle the broadest range of challenges. Competitors which accumulate the most capability points shall win.
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Competitor Design Parameters
1.For this competition, a "walking" machine is defined as a mobile machine supported on individually propelled motivating limbs. Suspension-wheeled vehicles, spoke wheels, tracks, and mobile manipulator platforms are not viable competitors. Judges shall arbitrate the worthiness of any entry.
2.Competitors may be of any size up to where said competitors cannot fit through a normal office door. There is no minimum size restriction.
3.Competitors are not allowed to drop, throw, separate, or leave behind any part of their chassis. For all races or challenges, competitors must finish with everything they started with.
4.Robot Competitors must not deliberately damage the challenge platforms, other competitors, judges, or spectators in any way. The judges will remove any competitor they feel represents a danger.
5.The device must use only mechanical power, or mechanical power converted from a source of electrical energy. Chemical, compressed gas, nuclear, or combustion power methods are not allowed to run in the competition area, though they will be allowed to run outside if acceptable to the designers and judges.
6.Competitors cannot have parts removed or added to them between races with the exception of replacing broken components necessary to the operation of the competitor.
7.No point penalties will be allotted if devices must have external power fed to them by tether. Points will be added, however, for fully self-contained designs.
Racing Platforms
Because of the broadness of the field and the possible ranges of robot sizes and abilities, platforms shall be made up at the time of competition to suit particular device features. However, typical competitions shall include:
There will be access to an outdoor environment of grass or sand which any competitor who can, may compete on.
Challenge Procedure
Devices of similar ability and size will be pitted against each other in simple competitions designed to take advantage of particular competing device features (normalized for comparison purposes). This will be a very on-the-fly competition, details based upon the number, size, and type of devices that show up (any devices that manage to show up entirely by themselves will be immediately win a gold medal, provided, of course, that they manage to register themselves appropriately).
For example, devices of like size and ability will negotiate a similar obstacle course approximately 8 feet long and 2 feet wide (the classic dimensions of a micromouse base unit). Obstacles will include glass surface, left and right turns, marbles, styrofoam chips covered in cloth, inclines and a low wall. Obstacles will be removed based upon competitors abilities (i.e.: 6 legged creatures can expect to try all obstacles, 2 legged creatures will likely try only clean, level surfaces).
In the case where none of the walking robots are finished or operating, judgments will be assessed on testbed examples of walking behavior for each competitor. For example, if only the balance function is operational, this will be considered more advanced than another design which can only move its leg around under a no load condition.