Objectives

Design and build a robot using the LEGO MINDSTORMS kits to complete the challenges as described in the following pages. The overarching goals are to:

  • Have Fun
  • Exercise teamwork
  • Encourage cooperation and competition (co-opetition)
  • Stimulate intense creative thinking
  • Demonstrate multidisciplinary skills
  • Understand the value of system architecture and systems engineering

Teams and members are listed on DC1 Teams.

Events

The robots will be tested primarily on artistry, accuracy, speed, strength, and style. Co-opetition will also play a pivotal role. The events are:

  1. Opening Ceremony (Artistry)
  2. Archery (Accuracy)
  3. Relay (Speed)
  4. Tug-o-war (Strength)
  5. Synchronized Dancing (Style)

Rules and regulations for the events are listed on DC1 Rules and Regulations. There is also a page DC1 Q&A dedicated to receiving and answering questions.

Schedule

Thursday, 1/3

  • 5.30pm: DC1 Intro and Dinner
  • 7pm: DC1 Project Development
  • 7pm~9pm: On-site Support

Friday, 1/4

  • 4.30pm: DC1 Project Development
  • 6pm~7pm: On-site Support
  • 5pm~6pm: Information Session

Saturday, 1/5

  • All Day: DC1 Project Development
  • 3pm~7pm: On-site Support

Sunday, 1/6

  • All Day: DC1 Project Development
  • 3pm~6pm: On-site Support
  • 6pm~7pm: Information Session

Monday, 1/7

  • 5pm: DC1 Project Development
  • 5pm~7pm: On-site Support

Tuesday, 1/8

  • 5pm: DC1 Project Development
  • 5pm~6pm: On-site Support
  • 6pm~7pm: Information Session, Competition Final Details

Wednesday, 1/9

  • 5pm: DC1 Project Development
  • 5pm~8pm: On-site Support
  • 8pm: Competition Boards on Display

Thursday, 1/10

  • COMPETITION DAY!
  • No labels

7 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Teams Sharing Tasks for SW:

    1. Line Follower Logic      - Team 1, Team 6, Team 5, Team 10, Team 9
    2. Target ID for the archery - Team 4
    3. Relay Interface - handover logic - Team 2, Team 3
    4. Obstacle - Getting around logic   2
    5. Synchronized dance mode    1

  2. Denman Halsted James

    Representative Meeting Notes from Saturday Morning:

    • Software teams will work on:
      • Height for sensor
      • Wait time before the robot "goes"
      • Sensor distance
    • Practice field Four people :
      • Jeremy, Ellen, Kandarp, Denman, Nitin  (Teams 1,4,5, 6, 8)
        • Common field
    • Rule update (see wiki for OFFICIAL notes - these are for reference)
      • Archery - cannot modify physical or software between shots
      • Explicit deferance of multi-ball robot to later - note only four balls in the kit for five shots
    • Practice area meeting
      • Teams 1,4,5,6,8 to work on field
      • Field board (matboard) white posterboard
      • Use existing electrical tape
    • Next Tentative meeting at 4 PM Saturday

  3. Anonymous

    The line follower sample is here, but still we are trying to improve that.

    http://home.earthlink.net/~xaos69/NXT/Line_Follower/Line_Follower.html

  4. Jeremy L Katz

    If you have problems with your brick not turning on and you hear it clicking, see Jeremy.  He knows how to restore them to a working state.

  5. Jeremy L Katz

    In addition to the line follower route set up outside of the SDM office, there is also a simple archery test range near the walkway to E51.  The corner bounds for the launch zone are marked with green tape and there are then hash marks every foot for the field.  There is also a simple test target (can with a piece of poster board taped to it) sitting in the corner.

  6. Emad Dolatshahi Zand

    Can we use an external stereo system to play music for event 5?

  7. John Kluza

    This link talks about some investigation done in to the characteristics of the ultrasonic sensor. It notes that the sensor is a bit more sensitive to the right than to the left, which agrees with what our team has been observing. Useful for calibrating your archery machine. Thanks to Yulia for finding this link!

    http://www.tik.ee.ethz.ch/tik/education/lectures/PPS/mindstorms/sa_nxt/index.php?page=tests_us