Outline of Micromouse 2002

iThe 23th All Japan Micromouse Contestj



Micromouse Contest^Microclipper Contest^Robotrace Contest
Robotrace Contest Junior Division^Robot Building Workshop for Junior Participants

  • 8 Nov.(Fri.) - 10 Nov.(Sun.)
  • Science Museum, Tokyo



    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


    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 23rd anniversary this year. The competitions to be held in Micromouse 2002 include the Micromouse contests, Robotrace contest, Microclipper contest and the junior division of the Robotrace contest. This year's Micromouse contests will be held at the science museum, Tokyo. We look forward to receiving your application!


    Schedule


    8 Nov.(Fri.)    @ Science Museum, Tokyo 1F
  • Trial run for every contestant except for junior classes
  • (Contestants are free to join this trial run.)

    9 Nov.(Sat.)@ Science Museum, Tokyo 1F
  • Micromouse Contest Freshman class
  • Micromouse Contest Expert class (Preliminary)
  • Robotrace Contest(Preliminary)

    10 Nov.(Sun.)@ Science Museum, Tokyo 1F
  • Robotrace Contest(Final)
  • Microclipper Contest
  • Micromouse Contest Expert class (Final)
  • Robotrace Contest Junior Division
  • Robot Building Workshop for Junior Participants (other room)


    *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 2002 Rules of Micromouse have been partly revised from 2001 Rules. The rules as revised on December 13, 2001 will apply in Micromouse 2002.


    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. In the expert class preliminary, each contesting micromouse shall be subject to a time limit of 7 minutes. The micromouse can try up to 5 runs within this time limit. In the expert class final round, each contesting micromouse shall be subject to a time limit of 5 minutes, and can try up to 5 runs within this time limit. In freshman class contests, as in the previous years, each contesting micromouse shall be subject to a time limit of 10 minutes and can try up to 5 runs within this time limit.


    *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.


    *3. In the micromouse expert class final rounds, relevant rules must be strictly adhered to; no operator can place his/her micromouse for adjustments or for other reasons at any part of the maze other than the starting point area. This is because placing a micromouse at parts of the maze other than the starting point area may allow the micromouse to acquire information on the maze beforehand.


    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.( No measuring sensor will be placed.)
    - 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 2002

    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, 2002 and also send technical data on their robot(s) to be entered in the contest(s) by October 21, 2002. 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 2002.


    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.


    Re: Revised contest rules and important notes


    Shinichi Yuta
    Micromouse Executive Committee Chairperson
    New Technology Foundation


    Dear Contestants:


    This is to inform you of revisions of the contest rules and important notes decided in the Micromouse Executive Committee meeting held in December 13, 2001. Please find enclosed the revised contest.

    I. Summary of the revisions
    1. Micromouse contests
    In revised Article 3-3, when a micromouse stops for more than 2 seconds, it shall be deemed to have ended its run. In turn, the section specifying that a micromouse's greater-than-2-second pause shall be a necessary condition for approval to discontinue its run has been deleted from original Article 3-5.
    (The numbering of original Articles 3-3 and 3-5 remains unchanged.)

    Advances in technology now make it possible to allow a micromouse to complete a course 5 times within a time limit of just 5 minutes. The section specifying 10 runs within a time limit of 15 minutes has been deleted.
    (The numbering of original Article 3-6 remains unchanged.)
    Please refer to "Important notes" below.

    2. Microclipper contests
    In the original rules, unlike in micromouse contests, a contestant cannot request approval to discontinue his/her microclipper's run unless his/her microclipper stops or becomes unable to run. The revised rules allow a contestant to request approval to discontinue his/her microclipper's run when a malfunction is found, like in micromouse contests. In addition, in the revised rules, a contestant's request for approval to discontinue the run for other reasons shall be approved on condition that all memory collected so far is completely erased and cylinders are returned to their initial status. When a microclipper stops for more than 2 seconds, it shall be deemed to have ended its run.
    (Due to this revision, original Article 4-7 has been renumbered as 4-7 and 4-8.)

    3. Robotrace contests
    Like in the revised rules of micromouse contests and of microclipper contests, a robotracer shall be deemed to have ended its run when it stops for more than 2 seconds or when it goes off the course. Article 3-7 has been newly added. In addition, the section specifying that a robotracer's pause shall be a necessary condition for approval to discontinue its run has been deleted from original Article 3-7, and original Article 3-7 has been renumbered as revised Article 3-8.
    (Accordingly, original Articles 3-7 and 3-8 have been renumbered as Articles 3-7, 3-8 and 3-9.)

    II. Important notes
    1. Important notes for participants in the micromouse expert class final round
    Relevant rules must be strictly adhered to; no operator can place his/her micromouse for adjustments or other reasons at any part of the maze other than the starting point area. This is because placing a micromouse at parts of the maze other than the starting point area may allow the micromouse to acquire information on the maze beforehand.

    2. Time limit for Micromouse Contest in Micromouse 2002 (The 23th All Japan Micromouse Contest)
    Rules on the time limit have been partly revised due to advances in technology. In the micromouse expert class preliminary, each contesting micromouse shall be subject to a time limit of 7 minutes, and can try 5 runs within this time limit. In the expert class final round, each contesting micromouse shall be subject to a time limit of 5 minutes, and can try 5 runs within this time limit. In micromouse freshman class contests, as in the previous years, each contesting micromouse shall be subject to a time limit of 10 minutes and can try 5 runs within this time limit.