Racing - Rules and Arrangements

Chapter One: Competition Rules

1. Teams and Robots

You have the willingness to participate in a racing competition and organize a team to participate in the competition by registering with the competition's organizing committee. Each team should consist of no more than 6 persons, including 5 team members and 1 mentor.

The robots participating in the racing competition must be capable of autonomously and intelligently operating in complex environments, adapting to specific environmental conditions, and performing tasks such as upright walking and other actions. "Upright walking" refers to the robot simulating human walking by using only the soles of its feet (without using other body parts) to make contact with and support its body on the ground while moving on the track.

The participating robots can either be provided by the competition's organizing committee or brought by the teams themselves.

The self-provided small-sized bipedal robot platform should meet the following conditions:

a. The height of the robot must not exceed 40 cm.

b. The robot should be a bipedal robot and not a wheeled or any other form of robot.

c. The robot needs to be reported to, confirmed, and approved by the competition's organizing committee.

2. Event Description

The competition simulates the athletics sprint event in sports. Bipedal robots compete on a racing track to complete the sprint race. The results of the competition will be determined based on the speed and distance covered by the robots during the race.

3. Race Specifications

3.1 Venue

The robot racing track is made of PVC plastic sheets of polyvinyl chloride. The length of the track ranges from 5 to 10 meters, with a width of 40 centimetres. The main colour of the track is red, with white edge lines measuring 5 centimetres in width fixed on both sides. The edge lines are made of fabric-based adhesive tape. Several tracks are laid out within the competition venue, with a distance of 1 meter between each track. The placement of the starting signal lights is 1 meter longitudinally from the starting point and 30 centimetres laterally from the edge of the track. Please refer to Figure 1 for the venue floor plan and Figure 2 for an illustrative diagram of the track.

The robot racing venue is located indoors, and the lighting conditions are provided by cool light sources, resulting in low illumination. To prevent robots from crossing over between lanes, caution ropes are used to separate the two tracks.

Figure 1: Race Venue Floor Plan Translation

Figure 2: Robot Racing Track Translation

3.2 Task Requirements

The robot should be placed at the starting line, exactly in the middle, with both feet aligned with the starting line, and the front of the robot facing forward.

Participants are required to set up their robot's program to automatically start upon powering on. Once the robot is on the field, the operator is only allowed to turn on the robot's power switch and position it at the designated starting position. The robot's running program will start automatically upon powering on, and the robot should autonomously complete the track tasks.

The order of the lanes will be determined by a draw, and participants should place their robot on the corresponding starting point. Timing will begin when the red light goes off and the green light illuminates. The starting signal lights are positioned near the left boundary line of the track, 1 meter away from the starting line (refer to Figure 2). Once the robot starts from the starting line, it must proceed in an upright bipedal walking manner along the track until reaching the finish line.

3.3 Time Limit

The competition has a time limit of 3 minutes. If a robot falls within the track during its movement, it must stand up again and continue using bipedal walking to complete the race. If a robot goes out of bounds, the competition will end, and the referee will record the corresponding distance and time travelled.

4. Scoring Method

· Each team has two opportunities to compete, and the best result will be considered.

· If a robot reaches the finish line within 3 minutes, the arrival time will be recorded.

· If a robot fails to reach the finish line within 3 minutes, the walking time will be recorded as 3 minutes.

· If a robot goes off the track (with the entire body crossing the boundary line), the competition will end, and the score will be based on the distance travelled before going off the track.

· There are no specific restrictions on the environment outside the track.

Any matters not specified in the rules will be determined by the competition's referee committee.