A program presented by‌
2012 Robotics Rally 4-H Robotics Mentor Coordinator and Wisconsin State Fair Youth Expo Robotics Coordinator Jolene Arnold, Milwaukee entryoffice@wisconsin.gov 414.266.7052 ENTRY CLOSING DATE: JULY 23rd ENTRY FEES: $10 per youth per competition Entries will be considered on a first come, first serve basis Entries will not be considered unless accompanied by full remittance SCHEDULE
Competition
Date
Registration
August 6th – LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT
8/6
8 – 9:15 am
August 7th - VEX® Robotics System
8/7
8 – 9:15 am
Competition Times
Grades Eligible
9:30 am – 4 pm 3rd – 12th Grade (2 to10 Youth Team Members and 1 to 2 Adult Chaperones) 9:30 am – 4 pm 7th – 12th Grade (2 to 4 Youth Team Members and 1 to 2 Adult Chaperones)
The Wisconsin State Fair Robotics Rally is specifically designed to increase accessibility and awareness of robotics programs while providing competition and recognition to Wisconsin youth for their accomplishments and to inspire them to higher achievement. RULES AND REGULATIONS 1) The Wisconsin State Fair Robotics Rally is open to all Wisconsin youth in grades 3rd to 12th for the LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT and grades 7th to 12th for the VEX® Robotics Systems competitions. Each team must be accompanied by an adult chaperone (21 years or older) who is not considered a team member. 2) The Robotics Rally will take place on the north side of the Dairy Barn during the annual Wisconsin State Fair. 3) Team registration fees do not include State Fair admission tickets or Parking Fees. Advance admissions tickets are available by for purchase on the Robotics Rally entry form. 4) Counties and youth groups can send as many teams as they choose. During the Robotics Rally event, the adult may not coach, advise or otherwise communicate with his/her team members. 5) Youth/Teams can choose to compete in either or both of the LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT Base Set or the VEX® Robotics Design System competitions. There is a separate competition for each platform (kit). Teams must bring their own pre-built robots to the competition. There are, however, ten (10) VEX® Robotics System kits available for use by teams who do not own their own kits. These kits will be awarded and assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Teams awarded kits will be given a chance to build their competition robot on August 6th from 9 am to 4 pm. 7) Judges, timekeepers and competition officials have been trained and are professional in their attitudes and behaviors but they are still volunteers. Please respect and appreciate the time they are donating to evaluate the achievements of the participating youth. The ruling of a judge, timekeeper or official is final and not debatable. Arguing with the judges is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated.
PRIZES AND AWARDS The three (3) highest placing teams in each competition will receive a plaque presented by Wisconsin State Fair. Each individual team member will receive a “Robotics Rally T-shirt” and a participation premium of $15 per person. This participation premium will be paid either to the individual or the team based on what was declared on the entry form. LODGING Teams are responsible for making their own lodging accommodations. Hotels near Wisconsin State Fair Park: Best Western Woodsview Inn, 5501 W National Ave, Milwaukee 53214, 800.528.1234 Excel Inn, 115 N Mayfair Rd, Wauwatosa 53226, 414.257.0140. Forty Winks Inn, 11017 W Bluemound Rd, Wauwatosa 53226, 800.946.5746. Ramada Limited, 2111 E Moreland Blvd, Waukesha 53186, 262.547.7770. A limited number of rooms in the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park are available August 5th through the 8th. These rooms are available on a first come, first serve basis. Preference will be given to teams traveling the farthest distance. Teams must have a chaperone and abide by State Fair Park’s guidelines for overnight stays. Rooms consist of 6 bunk beds with 12 total beds. There is a limit of three rooms per reservation. If interested, please email entryoffice@wisconsin.gov for additional information and details. Special VEX® Team Building Opportunity 10 VEX® Robotics Systems will be available for use by the first ten teams to register who do not own a VEX® Robotics System. A special, supervised building session for these ten (10) teams will take place on Monday, August 6th between 9 am to 4 pm on the north side of the Dairy Barn at the Wisconsin State Fair Park. This session will provide teams with access to robots if they do not own a VEX® robot. This is not a coaching or instructional session as youth are expected to design and build their robot without any help from adults. This opportunity is made possible through Mark Couture of the Robotics Education Competition Foundation.
LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT Competition: ROBOTICS SET AND ACCESSORY SPECIFICATIONS LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT Competition: Teams will need the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Base Set. Teams can use a set they already own, arrange to borrow a set or purchase one online at http://www.legoeducation.us/store/ (Product ID: W979797). Teams will also need the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT-G Software 2.1 (Product ID: W900080). Teams can use earlier versions of this software. Please note: sets purchased from stores other than the online LEGO® Education store may have different names and will be identified as the LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT 1.0 or 1.1. The LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT 1.0 comes with programming software and many extra parts which can be purchased separately at the LEGO® Education store by ordering the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education Resource Set (Product ID W979695). You do not need the LEGO ® MINDSTORMS ® Education Resource Set components to participate in this competition.
ITEMS TO BRING TO THE RALLY All teams need to have the following materials to participate: LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT Competition: Required items: Pre-built robot A printed copy of the programming code for each challenge. A laptop with LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT-G Software installed USB cable for program download Suggested Items: Extra batteries or charger for LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT robot Power strip Extension cord (three prong with ground) Creating the Playing Fields: Supplies 1 - 12” ruler 1 – 3’ Yardstick 1 - Scissors 1 - Pencil 1 - Black fine-tipped permanent marker 1 - Screwdriver Field items 3 - Cans Hunts 26.5 oz Pasta Sauce 1 - LEGO red ball 1 - Coca-Cola 20 oz. bottle (empty, cap removed) 1 - Coca-Cola 20 oz bottle cap 7 - 9 oz square-base plastic cups (SOLO brand) 14 - 1.5” OD, 3/8” ID, 0.055” thickness fender washers 5 – 5” long 1” x 2” blocks of wood 1 - New single pole white toggle light switch 1 – 18” remodelers box (blue) 1 - 3 Gang Wall Switch Plate (white) 3 – 3” long 2” x 4” blocks of wood 3 - 40 mm Ping Pong Balls 1 - Roll of ¾” wide electrical tape 3 – 22” x 28” white poster board 1 - Roll of 2” wide masking tape Lay down (3) 22” x 28” poster boards, shiny side up as shown in fig. 1.
Fig.1 Join the boards at the borders with 2” masking tape.
Flip field tape-side down. Flip the field so the top of fig. 1 is now oriented at the bottom as in fig. 2
Fig. 2 Mark a base in pencil in the southwest corner of the field. The base must be 11” high x 17” wide. Place ¾” black electrical tape on the north and east base line to mark them. The outside of the electrical tape shall be the dimensions specified in step 4. At the beginning of each match place 3 ping pong balls in the base. In the northwest corner of the field mark off a triangle with 4 layers of electrical tape on the hypotenuse of the triangle and 3 layers of electrical tape on the legs. The outer dimensions of this triangle are 9.25” on the west side and 8.5” on the north side. This is shown in fig. 3.
Fig. 3 Starting at a point 4” north and 6” west of the southeast corner, draw a horizontal line west 1.75” long in permanent marker. Draw four other 1.75” lines at intervals of 2.75”. Each line is drawn north of the previous one. This is shown in fig. 3. Cut five 2” x 1” wooden beams 5” long. Place these Toppling Towers with their south end on the lines drawn in step 7. Mark two parallel lines 1.5” apart in pencil from the north side to the south side of the field 1. The eastern most line should be set 24” west of the east wall. This is shown in fig. 4
Fig. 4 The Breakthrough tower of cups should be turned so their base is a diamond. The western vertex of the cups should align with the eastern edge of board 1. There will be three cups on the base of the pyramid aligned in a vertical pattern on the field. The rims of the cups should touch on the top. This is shown in fig. 4 To set up the cups, take six cups and put two washers in each of them. Place the three cups in their field positions. Then take two more cups and balance them on top of the other 3. Then place and balance the final cup on top of the two second layer cups. This will create a pyramid of cups. Make sure all the cups’ bases are still oriented like a diamond.
Remove the nails from the remodeler’s box. Place the light switch in the remodeler’s box. Attach the 3 Gang Midway Wall Plate. Make sure the switch is coming out of the middle opening of the wall plate. The far west pasta can for the Switcheroo challenge is oriented touching the edge of (tangent to) the south and west walls of board 3 as shown in fig. 5. Touching the east side of the pasta can is the light switch in the remodeler’s box. On the east side of the light switch is another pasta can which touches the edge of (tangent to) the east side of the light switch in the remodeler’s box and the far south wall.
Fig. 5 For the Ping Pong player challenge set the third pasta can so it is touching the edge of (tangent to) the north wall with its center 33.25” from the west wall. The cup in Ping Pong Player is touching the edge of (tangent to) the west side of the pasta can. The top corner of its diamond base is also touching the north wall. The Coca-Cola bottle is touching the edge of (tangent to) the south side of the plastic cup and the pasta can. Center the upside-down soda cap 31.5” from west border and 16.75” from the north wall (this is in board 2 as described in fig 2).
Fig. 6 The LEGO ® MINDSTORM® NXT red ball rests on the upside-down soda cap 17” west of the east wall place the east side of electrical tape. The electrical tape starts at the north wall and reaches south a distance of 20.5”. Below it there is another piece of electrical tape 6” long. Its north side starts 20.5” south of the north wall. Its east edge is 14.375” west of the east wall.
Robot Rules These rules pertain to how your robot works and interacts with the field. R1. Robots must use only LEGO® brand pieces - no custom-machined parts, generic brands, or household objects. R 2. Robots must not be larger than 10” in any direction in starting configuration. Starting configuration is defined as the state of your robot before beginning a challenge. The robot may extend attachments after the robot leaves “Base” which exceeds these dimensions but the robot must return to its starting configuration before running another challenge. R 3. The robot does not need to return to base before starting another challenge. Challenges can be completed in any order. The robot does not need to return to base after completing all the challenges.
R 4. Robots may not be built to cause damage to the field. R 5. Robots may only use up to three (3) LEGO® MINDSTORM® NXT motors and four (4) sensors. R 6. Robots may not use third-party sensors. Sensors allowed are Touch, Light, Color, Ultrasonic and sound. R 7. Robots must be completely autonomous. No remote control is allowed.
Game Rules These rules pertain to the playing field and how the game is played and scored. Please note: playing fields will be provided at event judging stations. G1. Scores will be computed at the end of each match. Five (5) points will be awarded for an annotated printout of the programming code for all challenges. G2: Team members may only touch the robot while it is in “Base”. If for any reason, the robot is touched while it is outside of base, a two (2) point penalty will be deducted from the final score. G3. Robot attachments may break the vertical plane of the edge of the playing field; however the robot itself must remain within the marked field borders. The robot’s wheels/treads/skids/etc. should not break the vertical plane of the edge of the playing field. If the vertical plane is broke it is considered out-of-bounds. If the robot unintentionally goes out of bounds, a two (2) point penalty will be incurred. If the robot goes out-ofbounds and completes a challenge or goes out-of-bounds to go around an object, a twenty-five (25) point penalty will incur. Note: There is a cutout on the south side of the field. It is easy to bump the stacked cups when in this area. If you bump them while in the cutout, you will receive the 25 point penalty. In this case it is beneficial to retrieve the robot and receive a four point penalty (two for going out of bounds plus two for touching) rather than incur the 25 point deduction. G4. All challenges must be completed by the robot. Team members must not attempt to score points by interacting with the table or field. All points scored by team member interaction will be voided. G5. Teams must not exceed more than ten (10) team members. This number does not include coaches and mentors. G6. Any disputes on scoring must be brought up to the judge before the team leaves the playing field. G7. Three minutes are allowed for changeover of teams at the judging station. One minute is given to each team for set up. Match length is two minutes and forty-five seconds (2:45). The robot should accomplish as many challenges as possible within this time. Unlimited re-tries are allowed within the match length. There will be three (3) rounds of judging. The best (highest) score of the three rounds shall be used to determine the final contest place. Ties will be broken using a team’s second best (highest) score. G8. Randomized field barrier: Three - 3" x 2” x 4” wood blocks will be placed in the middle of the field. Placement inside the boundaries will be randomized before the match begins. The blocks will always be either touching the edge of the field, or touching a block which is touching the edge, but not placed in the middle of the field. The blocks will be randomized in one of four positions: Three on left/None on right or Two on left/One on right or One on left/Two on right or None on left/Three on right. The 2” x 4” blocks will be placed so they are 3” wide within the marked boundary lines. The total width of the randomized border will add up to be nine (9) inches total. There is a 5 point penalty for each block which is knocked down or moved outside of the marked boundaries. If the blocks are still upright but moved, they must have at least two corners within the boundary to be considered in position. G9. At the competition, the playing field will be placed on a 4’ x 8’ table that has a 2” x 4” edge around the entire table to prevent robots from falling off the table. The 2” x 4” edge measures approximately 3.75” high by 1.75” thick, allowing for normal variances in 2” x 4” board lengths. The playing field will have the south and west sides directly along the 2” x 4” edge. Beyond the north and east sides of the playing field, there will be significant, unused table space before the edge of the table is reached. When designing your robot, please keep in mind two sides of the playing field have the border directly touching the sides.
Challenges Ball-istics: Red LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT ball on 20 oz Coke cap. Scoring: 5 points will be awarded if the ball knocked off the cap. Cap in place at the end of the match = 3 bonus points. The cap is in scoring position if it is breaking the plane of the inside of the circle drawn on the field. Ping Pong Player: Teams will have three (3) ping-pong balls to use during the match. There are several ways to score the balls so you must decide on the most efficient solution. Ping Pong Player Part 1: Ping pong balls are in the marked area of NW corner. Balls MUST be touching the surface of the playing field. 1 ball = 2 points 2 balls = 4 points 3 balls = 6 points Ping Pong Player Part 2: Ping pong balls delivered in or on towers differing in heights on the North edge. The square cup, the pasta can and the Coke bottle are the towers. Scoring: Balls are considered in scoring position if they are securely placed in or on the towers. Square Cup - 5 points per ball. 26 oz Pasta Can - 10 points per ball. 20 Oz. Coke Bottle - 20 points per ball. Toppling Towers: Four - 5” x 1” x 2” wood blocks on the east side of the field. Two (2) points per block knocked down. Blocks are considered knocked down if they are not standing upright. Note: Be careful not to knock them down by bumping the table as these points will be voided. Breakthrough: 9 oz. square Solo cups with washers. The cups are oriented so one corner of each cup is facing “Base.” Scoring: 1 point for each cup standing upright and touching the field surface. Progressive points are awarded if cups are inner-stacked (1 point for one cup, 1+2 points for 2 cups inner-stacked, 1+2+3 points for 3 innerstacked cups, etc.). Cups may NOT be manipulated in base. Note: since the cups are close to the edge, cups are scored even if they are off the playing field but are still on the table. Cups are not scored if they are off the table. Be careful not to knock cups down by bumping the table as these points will be voided. Switcheroo: Light-switch with cover flush to the ground. The robot must flip the light switch from the OFF (down) position to the ON (up) position. 15 points will be awarded if, at the end of the match, the switch is in the ON position (up). Note: The light switch will start each match in the down or “Off” position.
Resources available to assist teams preparing for the Robotics Rally: 1. LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® NXT website with technical support, community and general information www.mindstorms.lego.com 2. Online tutorials for NXT-G programming: http://www.ortop.org/NXT_Tutorial/ 3. Examples of robots you can build with sample programs http://www.nxtprograms.com/ 4. The programming software, LEGO ® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT-G includes building and programming tutorials. Click on the 3-module straight beam on the upper right hand corner of the screen and open up the Robotics Educator. Click on individual tutorials which provide stepby-step instructions. Hovering over an object on the screen allows its name and functions to be read which results in a more detailed description in the ‘Little Help’ tab in the bottom right side of the screen. Detailed descriptions can be accessed from the Little Help tab by clicking on the link provided which connects to web-based help pages. 5. You tube videos on NXT-G programming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AIHQS2KfTU The above link is the first in a series of 5 videos.
VEX® Robotics System Competition: ROBOTICS SET AND ACCESSORY SPECIFICATIONS
To promote recycling and a cleaner environment, a challenge has been created to develop robots which can help in recycling. This competition will determine which robot is best for the job. Judging will be based on the ability of the robot to perform specific tasks. VEX® Robotics System Competition: If a team does not already own a VEX® kit, and plans to purchase one the VEX® Dual Control Starter Bundle with Cortex (P/N: 276-1700) is recommended. This can be bought online at from the VEX® website <http://www.vexrobotics.com/vex-products.shtml>. In addition, teams will need 7.2V Robot Battery NiMH 3000mAh (P/N: 276-1491), a Smart Charger w/Optional Power Cord (P/N: 276-1445), a Claw Kit (P/N: 276-2212) and a 2-Wire Motor 269 (P/N: 276-2181). Teams which own a VEX® robot with a PIC microcontroller will be able to participate in this competition. Teams are NOT allowed to use parts not provided in the basic kit. State Fair judges will have the final decision on which parts are considered a “basic kit” part. ITEMS TO BRING TO THE RALLY All teams need to have the following materials to participate: VEX® Robotics System Competition: Required items: Pre-built robot Suggested Items:
Extra batteries or charger for VEX® robot Power strip Extension cord (three prong with ground) Contest Area A 10’ x 10’ marked off area is required. Each team will compete in a 5’ x 5’ recycling zone. Recycling Center and Contest Area
Robot Rules These rules pertain to how your robot works and interacts with the field. R 1. Teams will be allotted 10 minutes to recycle as many items as possible. The competition will continue until all recyclables have been recycled or the time limit has been reached, whichever comes first. R 2. The robot, operated by a hand-held remote control, will collect straws, plastic cups, plastic bottles, pie pans and egg cartons. The robot will take the objects to the collection site. Once at the collection site, the robot must place the sorted objects in the correct recycling container or the unsorted general trash container. The goal is to correctly sort and recycle the objects in the shortest amount of time. Two robots from competing teams will simultaneously compete against each other in the divided contest area. The team with the most accumulated points in the shortest amount of time will be declared the winner of that round and will move forward in the competition. Correct sorting will be determined as follows: egg cartons must be pushed through the square straws through the slit plastic bottles through the circle. All other items go into the unsorted general trash container. Each team will be given the following items to sort: 6 Straws 6 Plastic Cups 6 Plastic Bottles 6 Pie Pans 6 Egg Cartons
Scoring 10 points for each item correctly sorted -5 points for each item incorrectly sorted 1 point for each item placed in the unsorted container Resources available to assist teams preparing for the Robotics Rally: The VEX® Robotics Design System website <http://www.vexrobotics.com/ >, maintained by Innovation First International, Inc., has links to various curriculum for Vex® robots: http://www.vexrobotics.com/education/curriculum.
Wisconsin State Fair and UW- Extension Robotics Committee Staff: Coordinating Staff: Maria Habib, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Waukesha County UW- Extension Michelle Gonzalez, 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator, Milwaukee County UW Extension Lisa Talen, Wisconsin State Fair, Youth Expo Coordinator Jolene Arnold, Milwaukee County UW Extension and Wisconsin State Fair Youth Expo Pam Kelly, Kenosha/ Racine County UW Extension Advisors: John de Montmollin, Kenosha County UW Extension, Youth and Family Educator Gail Kraus, Ozaukee County UW Extension, 4-H Youth Development Educator
Engineering and Robotics Professionals: Brian Farrell, Rockwell Automation John W. Raffensperger Jr., Apache Stainless Equipment Marc Couture, Midwest Regional Manager, Robotics Education Competition Foundation Kirk Weese, Vice Chairman, National 4-H Engineering Challenge Tyler Evert, Student, Milwaukee School of Engineering VEX速 Robotics Systems Design Team: 2010 National 4-H Engineering Challenge Committee The Recycling Challenge is used with permission of the committee. LEGO 速 MINDSTORMS速 NXT Challenge Design Team: Tyler Evert, Waukesha County 4-H Alumnae, Project Lead Curtis Copeland, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member Daniel Copeland, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member David Farrell, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member Timothy Farrell, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member Eric Medina, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member Wendy Copeland, Waukesha County 4-H Adult Leader Brian Farrell, Waukesha County 4-H Adult Leader Janice Medina, Waukesha County 4-H Adult Leader Madeline Copeland, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member Jessica Copeland, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member Ruth Farrell, Waukesha County 4-H Youth Member The photograph on the cover is used with permission from UW-Extension, Milwaukee County. An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin Extension and Wisconsin State Fair Park provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and American with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. Requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities or limitations should be made prior to the date of the program or activity for which it is needed. Please do so as early as possible prior to the program or activity so that proper arrangements can be made. Requests are kept confidential.