Outline of Micromouse 2001

iThe 22th All Japan Micromouse Contestj



Robotrace Contest Junior Division^Robot Building Workshop for Junior Participants
  • 25 Aug.(Sat.)
  • Yokosuka City Minami Gymnastic Hall/Educational Reserch Institute

    Micromouse Contest^Microclipper Contest^Robotrace Contest
  • 23 Nov.(Fri.) - 24 Nov.(Sat.)
  • Pacifico Yokohama


    Sponsored by: New Technology Foundation
    Co-sponsored by:
  • Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) etc.(scheduled)
    Special cooperation: NAMCO Ltd.
    Cooperation: Related organizations and companies


    All the contests held in Micromouse 2001 are official games of RoboFesta 2001.


    Introduction

    Micromouse was first proposed as a competition to demonstrate the potential of microcomputers by IEEE, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of the U.S.A. in 1977. The Micromouse competition in Japan was first held in 1980, and many Micromouse events have since taken place in Asia and Europe. Micromouse competitions, originally challenges for innovative technologies, have been gradually recognized as events providing appropriate themes to foster mechatronics technologies among educational institutions and industry. The All-Japan Micromouse contests have been growing with the addition of Japanese-specific games, and will celebrate the 22nd anniversary this year. The competitions to be held in Micromouse 2001 include the Micromouse contests, Robotrace contest, Microclipper contest and the junior division of the Robotrace contest. All of them are official games for RoboFesta 2001 (the International Robot Games Festival). This year's Micromouse contests will be held at "RoboFesta Kanagawa 2001" sites in Yokosuka and Yokohama. We look forward to receiving your application!


    Schedule


    25, Aug.(Sat.)@ Yokosuka City Minami Gymnastic Hall/Educational Reserch Institute
  • Robot Building Workshop for Junior Participants (Educational Reserch Institute 3F)
  • Robotrace Contest Junior Division(Minami Gymnastic Hall)

    23 Nov.(Fri.)@ Pacifico Yokohama Conference Center 3F
  • Micromouse Contest Freshman class
  • Micromouse Contest Expert class (Preliminary)
  • Robotrace Contest(Preliminary)

    24 Nov.(Sat.)@ Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall
  • Robotrace Contest(Final)
  • Microclipper Contest
  • Micromouse Contest Expert class (Final)


    *The starting and ending times of the contests are subject to change, depending on the numbers of contestants.


    Rules for the contests(Japanese Rules)

    The same rules as in the previous year (partially revised on June 29, 2000) will apply.


    Micromouse Contest(Freshman Class/Expert Class)

    Micromouse Freshman Class
    This is a micromouse contest for beginners who have recently joined the program. Anyone who considers himself/herself a beginner can participate in this contest. However, contestants who have reached the goal at a previous national contest and mice that have reached the goal at such a contest, are ineligible. And, if during the contest the judges determine that the mouse should be entered in the Expert Class, the mice are ineligible to win.
    In the Freshman Class, the contestants will be allowed to change batteries during the contest as long as the batteries are of the same specifications.

    Micromouse Expert Class
    This is the main event in the micromouse contest. Both preliminary and final contests will be held. Contestants who pass the preliminary stage (18 mice, in principle) and participants who have been seeded in each district in accordance with their previous results (champions in local contests in Japan, in principle) will be eligible to enter the final contest. For the final contest, each mouse builder is allowed to enter only one mouse, while a group is allowed to enter only one mouse as well, unless the individual mouse builder or the group enters mice that are technically dissimilar. In addition, each operator (the person who built the mouse must operate it, in principle) is allowed to operate only one mouse in the final contest.
    In the Expert Class, the contestants will be prohibited from changing batteries during all preliminary rounds and the finals of the contest.

    *1. The preliminary stage of Micromouse Expert Class and Micromouse Freshman Class, each participant is allotted ten minutes and can make up to five runs.
    The final contest of Micromouse Expert Class, each participant is allotted seven minutes and can make up to five runs.

    *2. Requirements for participation in the freshman class of the Micromouse Contest
    The freshman class of the Micromouse Contest is for people who consider themselves to be beginners, and who will participate with mice that they produced by themselves.
    Therefore, people who have made mice that completed the course at a national contest in the past are not considered to be "freshman."
    Also, if a person is given a mouse that was made by a more experienced person, that mouse will not be considered a mouse made by a beginner.


    Important notes

    1. General
    (1) The contests will be videotaped and photographed. The use of flash is prohibited in principle. However, some videorecorders and cameras utilize infrared auto-focus systems, and so robots may be exposed to infrared radiation during the contests. Each of your robots should therefore have appropriate protection against possible infrared radiation.
    (2) In the contest categories in which preliminaries and finals are held, the preliminaries will take place at a different site from that scheduled for the finals and therefore, the contestants will compete in a different indoor environment, including lighting. The contestants should be careful about these differences.

    ‚QDMicroclipper
    (1) In the Microclipper Contest, a cutting sheet will be affixed to the cylindrical cans as in last year's contest.
    (2) In the Microclipper Contest, the contestants will be allowed to change batteries during the contest as long as the batteries are of the same specifications.

    ‚RDRobotrace Contest
    (1) The preliminary contest for the Robotrace contest will be held under the following conditions.
    - You are allocated three minutes for allowing your robot to make up to three runs. However a robot that successfully completes a round the course shall pass the preliminary for the Robotrace contest.
    - The robots that pass the preliminary contest shall be inspected. Those passing the inspection shall be eligible to take part in the final Robotrace contest.
    - The time to travel from the starting point to the goal will be manually measured and will be reflected in the entry order of the final contest.
    - If necessary, more than one contest field will be used during the preliminary.
    - The course for the preliminary contest is shorter than that for the final contest, and the contest fields used in the preliminary may differ from those in the final contest.
    (2) The surface of the course is wooden, painted matte black. White vinyl tape is used to mark the lines. The field will be made as level as possible. Complaints about these will not be accepted.
    (3) In the Robotrace Contest, The contestants will be prohibited from changing batteries during the contest.


    How to apply for the Micromouse 2001

    1. Except for the case with the preliminary contest for the Micromouse contest (expert class), one builder (or one operator) can register only one robot for each of the Micromouse final contest (expert class), the Micromouse contest (freshman class), the Robotrace contest and the Microclipper contest.

    2. Those applying for the above must send the application form(s) with the entry fee to reach our office by the end of September, 2001 and also send technical data on their robot(s) to be entered in the contest(s) by the end of October, 2001. Please carefully read the contest rules and other details before applying for the contests.

    3. The entry fee per robot is \1,000. However, the Micromouse Committee members and invited contestants will be eligible to enter the contests free-of-charge. Participants from overseas can pay their participation fees when contestants are accepted during Micromouse 2001.


    Prizes

    Key factors in winning prizes and list of prize names
    Micromouse Contest
    -First prize - Sixth prize: Evaluations based on the shortest time required for running from the starting point to the goal
    -Autonomy prize: The mouse that records the shortest running time after completing all runs from the first to the last (in which the mouse has to return to the starting point) during the allocated time without touching the walls of the maze
    -Search prize: Evaluations based on the number of steps that are required until the mouse reaches the goal on its first run
    -New technology prize: The mouse in which new technology is actively used
    -Superior prize: Evaluations based on the shortest running time and other aspects of performance particularly in the category of mice produced independently by high school students or younger
    -NAMCO prize: The mouse in which unique designs and ideas are used
    -Special prize: The mouse that has noticeable features other than the evaluation items listed above

    Microclipper Contest
    -First prize - Third prize: Evaluations based on the number of cylinders turned upside down within the allocated time or on the time required for returning to the starting point after turning all
    -New technology prize: The robot in which new technology is actively used
    -NAMCO prize: The robot in which unique designs and ideas are used
    -Special prize: The robot that has noticeable features other than the evaluation items listed above

    Robotorace Contest
    -First prize - Sixth prize: Evaluations based on the shortest time required for running from the starting point to the goal
    -New technology prize: The robot in which new technology is actively used
    NAMCO prize: The robot in which unique designs and ideas are used
    -Special prize: The robot that has noticeable features other than the evaluation items listed above

    *For the freshman class of the Micromouse contest, Robotorace, or Microclipper contest, if robots produced by a single group are highly similar technologically, only the most superior robot will be eligible to win a prize.

    * Award winners will receive a certificate of award, a souvenir, etc. Among the award winners, those who make the best grades will receive research grants. A participation prize will be given to all contestants.