Competition: Rules & Regulations
General Guidelines
1. Create an autonomous robot who can participate in the competition tournament(s).
2. Each team comprises of 2-3 students and one mentor.
3. Official competition kit for Primary, Junior High-School, and High-School categories
consists of:
a. 1 × Lego™ 9794 LMFS Team Challenge Set
b. 1 × Lego™ ROBOLAB Software
c. 1 × Lego™ Gear Reduction Motor
d. 1 × Additional Lego™ Light Sensor (Optional)
e. Additional sensors may be considered and will be announced on-line
4. Competition kit and/or construction materials, particularly of the winning teams, will
be randomly checked on competition day
Competition Category
Category Ages Playing Fields Open Category
Up to 1. Sprint I: Pretzel Puzzle
Primary School
12 2. Strength I: Tug-of-War
Theme of
1. Sprint II: Bangkok Traffic
“Robot in Sports”
Junior High-School 13 – 15 2. Slalom II: Junior Hockey
or
Practice
“Science Fiction”
1. Sprint II: Bangkok Traffic
High-School 16 – 18
2. Slalom III: Hockey Practice
Definitions ( Primary, Junior High-School, and High-School Categories)
1. “Playing Field” is defined as the flat and level floor, in white color, for the robots to
run on. All playing fields must have overall dimension not exceeding
1,600mm.×2,000mm.
2. “Track line” is defined as the line, in black color, of 18-25mm.(width) that is laid
down on the playing fields. Unless specifically stated otherwise, robots must be
calibrated to recognize and follow the track line. The calibration can be done on the
trial period.
3. “Wall” is defined as the vertical structure, in white color, of at least 70mm.
(height)×5mm.(thick) used to prevent robots from going further. Robots are not
allowed to climb over the walls.
4. “Color patch” is defined as the 50mm.×50mm. rectangular patch, in the color that has
the intensity approximately half way between black and white, immediately adjacent
to the track line (see Figure 1). Color patch(s) presented in each particular playing
field is used to signal the robots to perform task(s) specified in the rule(s) of that
playing field. Robot must be calibrated to recognize those color patches. The
calibration can be done on the trial period.
5. “Match” is defined as a particular competing duration of the robot, either in time-trial
format or elimination format, which results in a score being awarded to that robot.
6. “Round” is defined as a collection of matches competed under the same specific
playing fields and rules that are scheduled to provide equal, fair, and competitive
chance for all the robots entering the competition.
7. “Tournament” is defined as the collection of all rounds under the same playing fields
and rules.
8. “Operator” is defined as a student member of the team designated as the one who
starts and stops the robot in a match.
9. “Match Area” is defined as the area around each playing field condoned off from
spectators, non-competing teams, and non-operator of the competing team(s) of that
particular match.
General Rules (Primary, Junior High-School, and High-School Categories)
1. The Referee(s) have the ultimate authority during the World Robot Olympiad. Their
decisions are final. Referees will not review recorded replays after the match is
complete.
2. If a referee disqualifies a team, the disqualified robot must be turned off immediately
and for the duration of the match and will not score any points for that match.
3. A team may not gain advantage or win a match by breaking rule(s), even by accident.
4. Deliberately damaging the playing fields will result in an immediate disqualification.
5. Deliberately damaging opponent’s robot will result in an immediate disqualification.
6. Team members and mentor must not intervene or interfere with the operation of the
robot of their own team or that of the opponent, physically or remotely. Interference
will result in an immediate disqualification.
7. Altering the specification(s) of the playing fields or robot components (e.g., motor)
will result in an immediate disqualification.
8. Standard batteries will be provided during the tournament. Robot can only use power
from the provided batteries. Non-standard power supply will result in an immediate
disqualification.
9. Only operator of the competing team(s) is allowed into the match area during the
match.
10. Robot is declared “miss-track” when all of its wheels are on the same side of the track
line. Miss-tracking will result in the immediate conclusion of the match for that robot
(but not necessarily its opponent).
11. Robot is declared “miss-color” when it fails to do specific task(s) associated to that
color patch(s). Miss-coloring will result in the immediate conclusion of the match for
that robot (but not necessarily its opponent).
12. The dimension of the robot must not exceed 200mm.×200mm.×200mm., including
installed batteries, at rest. During the competition, the robot may change its own
dimensions only with absolutely no human intervention.
13. All robots must be submitted to the central repository before the beginning of each
competition round. Team is prohibited from modifying its robot while that particular
round is not yet concluded. However, batteries may be changed at the beginning of
each match.
14. In the event of the conflict in translation of the rules, the English version is considered
the correct and final version.
Sprint I: Pretzel Puzzle
Objective
Robot is required to trace the track line from the starting point and complete the circuit in the
shortest time possible. Successfully passing through each feature in the circuit earns extra
points.
Game Rules
1. The circuit dimension must not exceed 1,500mm.×1,500mm.
2. The circuit must compose of at least one each of the following four features:
a. Straight-lines.
b. Right-angle Turns.
c. Curves. All curves must not have the turning radius smaller than 150mm.
d. Intersections. The robot must cross the intersection without turning. All
intersections must be at 90 degrees.
3. The number and exact sequence of the features will be announced at competition day
and will be used for the whole tournament.
4. The starting point will be selected randomly and announced at competition day and
will be used for the whole tournament.
5. The trial playing field (and trial starting point) will be provided at the trial period. It
may not be the same as the tournament playing field.
6. The robot must trace the track line from the starting point, complete the circuit, and
come back to the finish line (the same location as the starting point).
7. The robot must be immediately stopped by its operator when the referee declares that
it has miss-tracked, or when the robot has successfully crossed the finish line.
Strength I: Tug-of-War
Objective
Robot has to pull the rope, thus its opponent, onto its side while tracing the straight line.
Game Rules
1. The playing field dimension is 1,500mm.×750mm.
2. The playing field consists of
a. One straight track line of 900mm in length.
b. One 200mm. high pole, perpendicular located at the mid-point of the track
line.
c. One grommet at the top of the pole.
d. One 900 mm. rope passing through the grommet. At both end of the rope will
be hooks to attach to the competing robots.
e. One marker at the exact middle of the rope.
3. Robot must have an attachment point to hook up with the rope.
4. The match begins by attaching the rope to the robots and centers the marker exactly at
the grommet.
5. When the referee signals the beginning of the match, the robot must pull at the rope
while simultaneously tracking the line.
6. Robot that miss-tracks will immediately lose the match.
7. The match lasts 120 seconds. The robot that pulls the marker to its side wins.
Sprint II: Bangkok Traffic
Objective
Robot is required to trace the track line from the starting point, turn or cross the intersection
according to the traffic lights represented as the color patches, and cross the finish line in the
shortest time possible. Successfully passing through each intersection earns extra points.
Game Rules
1. The course dimension must not exceed 1,500mm.×1,500mm.
2. The course has the 3×3 grid of Intersections that are set at least 300mm. apart.
3. There will be color patches in front of the intersections. The robot must do the
following:
Left Color Patch Right Color Patch Robot Action
No No Go Forward
Yes No Turn Left
No Yes Turn Right
4. Robot must ignore the color patch(s) behind the intersection.
5. The starting line will be one of the possible 12 start/finish line. It will be selected
randomly and announced at competition day and will be used for the whole
tournament.
6. The finish line will be one of the possible 12 start/finish line depending on the
configuration of the color patch(s) on the playing field.
7. The number and exact placement of the color patches will be announced at the
competition day and will be used for the whole tournament.
8. The trial playing field (and trial starting point) will be provided at the trial period. It
may not be the same as the tournament playing field.
Slalom II: Junior Hockey Practice
Objective
Robot must navigate through the open door(s) on the walls to reach the finishing line in the
shortest time possible. Successfully passing through each wall earns extra points.
Game Rules
1. The course dimension is 1,500mm.×1,500mm.
2. The course consists of
a. Three layers of horizontal (obstacle) walls.
b. Doors. There will be from 2-4 designated door location for each wall. Most of
the doors are closed. The open doors are presented as the opening in the wall
with at least 300mm. in width.
c. Door guides. They are vertical track lines that guide the robot to the center of
both opened and closed doors.
d. Horizontal track lines. They connect the door guides together.
3. The robot will be placed at the starting line. Robot must trace the horizontal track line,
turn and trace the door guide, determine the status of the door (opened or closed) by
touch, and passing through the opened doors until it reaches the finishing line.
4. The number and location of all doors will be announced at the competition day and
will be used for the whole tournament.
5. The number and location of the opened doors will be announced at the competition
day and will be used for the whole tournament.
6. The trial playing field (and trial door configuration) will be provided at the trial
period. It may not be the same as the tournament playing field.
Slalom III: Hockey Practice
Objective
Robot must navigate through the open door(s) on the walls to reach the finishing line in the
shortest time possible. Successfully passing through each wall earns extra points.
Game Rules
1. All rules stated in the Slalom II also apply to the Slalom III course.
2. There will be no horizontal track lines.
General Rules (Open Category)
1. Each exhibition must be confined to the display volume of 3,000mm.
(width)×3,000mm.(depth)×2,000mm.(height)
2. Additional construction materials outside the competition kit are allowed.
3. The exhibition will be scored to the total point of 100. The score is divided into:
a. Originality and/or Creativity (30 points). Exhibitions that clearly display the
contestants’ creativity and/or originality will score more than the ones
displaying ordinary scene. For example, in the theme of robot in sports,
inventing the new type of sport, finding new way that robots can participate in
the existing sports, or finding new way to display existing sports succinctly
will score more than just constructing a robot arm lifting a weight.
b. Relevance to the Theme (30 points). Exhibitions that are constructed such
that they express the contestants’ imagination related directly to the theme will
score higher than the ones which display no apparent connection. For
example, on the theme of celebrating the advancement of physics, the
exhibition which is displayed entirely in blue but without coherent story just
because it is Einstein’s favorite color (hypothetically speaking) will score less
than the exhibition that displays story about Magnetism.
c. Expressive Value/Showmanship (20 points). Exhibitions that are of high
performance, take the most advantage of the display volume provided, and are
the most dynamic will score more than static exhibition. For example, the
exhibition that can be captured by taking the picture of the display booth will
score less than the exhibition that must be experienced on-site.
d. Material Efficiency (10 points). Exhibition that displays exactly the same
concept/story but uses less construction material in doing so will score more
than the one than uses superfluous construction materials.
e. Artistic Aspect (10 points). Exhibitions that are more exciting and/or
artistically pleasing will score more than the bland, dull ones.
