Robotix (competition)
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Robotix (also known as .:ROBOTIX:.) is an annual robotics and programming event, organised by the students of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. Robotix is organised during the Kshitij, the annual techno-management festival of the institute. Participation is open to any college student. The event gives the contestants an opportunity to showcase their talent in the fields of mechanical robotics, autonomous robotics and programming.
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[edit] History
Robotix started off in the year 2002, under IDEON, the old name of Kshitj. It started as in in-house event for the students of IIT Kharagpur. 28 teams turned up in the inaugural year. IDEON became Kshitij in 2003. Currently, Robotix is organised under the umbrella of Kshitij. The participation has increased over the years, with 220 teams turning up for Robotix 2006.
[edit] The Event
The events pits the robots of the participants against each other in an arena. Events are either of solo-run type or one-on-one type. In a solo-run event, the bot is given free run in the arena, and then evaluated on various marking criteria like time taken, task completed and efficiency etc.
In a one-on-one event (usually employed in knockout rounds), two or more teams fight against each other. There is a direct competition between the two teams and only team makes through.
Events during Robotix are conducted under three categories — mechanical, autonomous and programming.
[edit] Mechanical events
In a mechanical event, the robot is manually controlled by the participant with the help of a remote control. The remote system may be either wired or unwired. The robot then has to perform the specified task. The event maybe be held as a solo run type or a one-on-one type.
[edit] Autonomous events
In autonomous events, robots are independent and participants are not allowed to control them in any way during their run. These robots usually use programmed micro controllers that lends the robots its decision making powers. Here too, the event maybe solo-run or one-on-one type.
[edit] Programming events
Participants are required to write program codes in these events in order to solve the problem that has been posed. Online participation is allowed in programming events.
[edit] Robotix 2007
Robotix 2007 is going to be held from 1st to 4th February 2007. The following six events are will be held in Robotix 2007; two each from the three fields of robotics: programming, autonomous and mechanical.
[edit] Autonomous Events
- Rail Track Inspector
- In Rail Track Inspector, the participants are required to build a robot that can follow two parallel white lines, 5 cm apart, on a black background and report errors, if any, as and when they occur. The errors can be of two types:
- The distance between the white lines may differ from their specified :gap.
- One of the white lines may beocme discontinuous.
- The robot is required to identify both the errors separately.
- Grid Navigator
- Grid Navigator, requires participants to build autonomous robots that can move in a 8x8 square maze ans can detect the position of obstacles placed in the maze without dislocating it. The maze shall be in the form of a two dimensional numbered grid. Squares will be marked with white lines on a black background. The robot has to start from of end of the maze and reach the diagonally opposite end after identifying all the obstacles. The robot is free to roam in the grid in any way it so chooses.
[edit] Programming - Online Events
- Mission Mars
- Mission Mars requires the participants to write codes to control robot ants on a simulated Martian surface, such that it can cover the maximum area in a given time. Multiple instances of the same program shall be run at the same time, and they should be able to communicate with each other to prevent any collision, which will render both the robots extinct. The competition gives its participants the liberty to code in either C or C++ or Java.
- Jigsaw
- In Jigsaw, the participants are required to write a code that can solve a jumbled up picture. The picture will be broken up into fragments and jumbled up using a program itself. As per the rules mentioned on the official website, the top left corner of the jumbled picture shall be the same as the original picture. Here, the participants are allowed to code either in C or C++.
[edit] Mechanical Events
- Load runner
- Load runner requires participants to build a manually controlled robot that has a hooking mechanism so that it can hook up to freights and link them together to form a train. It then has to form the engine of the same train and pull it to its destination. Use of magnetic material to attach to the freights is prohibited.
- Step climber
- In this event, participants are required to build a manually controlled robot that can climb up and down a flight of stairs. The height of the steps shall vary up and down the stairs.
