The Robstacle Course

The Mission

The fundamental challenge of engineering design is solving problems while meeting basic physical constraints and design rules. This year ME72 students formed teams to design, build, and operate, under manual and/or autonomous control, a team of 3 robotic vehicles that can successfully transfer a baton and navigate between challenging sections of the robot obstacle "Robstacle" course.

Competition Tasks

• Autonomous navigation by robot 1 through the "pylon field" during the first 40 s period at the start of each match.
• Successful transfer of the baton (baseball) between robot 1 and robot 2 within an open area at the end of the pylon field either during the autonomous period or the teleoperated period which follows.
• Tele-operated navigation by robot 2 across a 10-ft seesaw.
• Tele-operated navigation by robot 2 up a 30° ramp and onto a 4-ft high elevated platform.
• A second baton transfer between robot 2 and robot 3, with robot 3 stationed at the base of an identical 30° ramp facing the first ramp.
• Retrieval of a 1-kg mass by robot 2 from the elevated platform for bonus points.
• Tele-operated navigation by robot 3 past a locked gate and on through a final open stretch toward the baton goal at the end of the "Robstacle Course."
• The first team to deposit its baton in the goal wins the race.
• Round robin double elimination followed by a single elimination round to determine the overall champion.

Design Challenges

• Each team must design and construct 3 robots, which are operated under radio control and stationed at specific baton transfer locations along the course.
• Robot 1 must be designed with autonomous capability.
• Robot 1 must be designed to transfer the baton to robot 2.
• Robot 2 must be able to navigate across the seesaw and climb a 30° inclined ramp.
• Robot 2 must be capable of releasing the baton and be capable of lifting a 1-kg mass.
• Robot 3 must be capable of receiving the baton while stationed along the inclined base of the second ramp.
• Robot 3 must be capable of releasing two eyebolts to unlock the final gate.
• Robot 3 must be able to navigate the remaining stretch of the course and drop the baton into the goal.