The Challenge 2007!

Every team should have received a participants pack with full details including hints and tips! A breif overview is given below . . .

The Androids Advance Challenge has been divided into 2 events, a dance-off and an assault course. Each of the events will be judged on a variety of criteria outlined below. All events will be held on a specially constructed stage measuring 2m x 4m, the exact layout and properties of which can be viewed here.

1 - The Dance-Off

The dance-off competition is compulsory for all teams and will consist of a single heat.

Teams will be divided into two groups of eight and will be allocated a 80cm x 80cm square area of the stage in which to operate. The robots will be required to dance for 4 minutes 8 seconds to the track "I Don't Feel Like Dancin' (radio edit)" by the Scissor Sisters. This routine will be triggered for all robots from a universal transmitter within the arena. The start signal will be the same as that produced by the right hand trigger button of the remote control (shown below) at the start of the track:



After both groups have performed, the judges will allocate awards based on the following criteria:

• Technical Merit – The overall best executed dance routine
• Pimp My Bot – The best dressed robot
• Baddest Bot – The robot with the most entertaining routine

2 - The Assault Course

In the assault course event, each team will be allocated 8 minutes to complete as many of the following activities as possible and will be judged on how well they achieve each of them.

1. Sprint: the robot is required to travel a 2m distance in the shortest time possible
2. Slalom: the robot will be required to negotiate 5 flags without knocking them over
3. Hurdle: the robot will be required to get over a barrier of fixed height
4. Limbo: the robot will be required to get under a barrier of a fixed height
5. Steps: the robot will be required to ascend and then descend 2 steps
6. Goal Shot: The robot is required to kick a ball into a goal mouth
7. Skittle Alley: The robot is required to pick up a ball and to throw it at six skittles (this will require mechanical modifications to the robot)
8. Elevator: The robot must enter an elevator and push a button to reach a balcony on the upper level of the arena
9. Zip Line: Whilst on the balcony, the robot is required to hook onto a loop connected to a zip line and descend to the lower level (this will require mechanical modifications to the robot)

The judges will allocate awards based on the following criteria:

• Points Accumulated – The robot that completes the most activities successfully
• Innovation – Awarded to the robot with the most innovative and effective mechanical modifications to the robot
• Style – The robot with the most outstanding motion