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iP Bot Rules Updated

iP-Bot

Do you have a flare for Image Processing..? Can your bot carve its way out of a matrix of colors..? So go ahead, impart color-vision to your robot and rule the arena!

Image processing is one of the most widely used techniques in today�s world of engineering using which one imparts God�s gift of vision to man-made machines. It involves processing continuous image data and making decisions based on the content of images. The proposed event will test the participants on basic robotics skills and image processing concepts.

Prizes worth Rs 15000 up for grabs for this event. Make the most of this opportunity and register now!

Problem Statement

Design a computer controlled robot which by using image processing, covers maximum squares of a particular color in minimum time.

Test Arena: Please refer to the image given below for test arena dimensions and details. Please note that the test arena consists of different colored squares of size 30 cm x 30 cm. The colors of various squares are red, green, blue, yellow, white and black. All around the arena there is a boundary made of white color of 30 cm width.

Rules

1. The bot has to start from the zone marked as "Start" in the test arena figure and reach the zone marked as "Stop", traveling only through the red squares.
2. The bot should acquire images using a camera interfaced to the PC and then use one of the computer ports (serial, parallel or USB) to control the bot.
3. The bot must only use the image processing data for control and any other kind of sensors cannot be used.
4. A camera will be mounted overhead at a height ensuring that it focuses on the full arena. The specifications of this camera will be sent through mail to teams whose abstract gets selected. The participants may use the same camera or use their own camera mounted on the top of the bot.
5. The teams will be provided a desktop PC having a parallel port, serial port and USB port at the time of competition which they can use to run their bot. Various softwares that teams will require for executing their code will be installed in the PC.
6. Time slots will be given to the participants few hours before the actual event during which they can practice on the test arena and calibrate their machines to the available light in the arena.
7. There will be an elimination round before the final round and only the teams which clear the elimination round will advance to the final round.
8. The elimination round and the final round arena will be unveiled just before the event. The size of the squares and the colors used for the elimination round and final arena will be the same as the test arena. These rounds will be of different difficulty level but will test the participants on same image processing skills as the test arena.
9. The RGB values for the various squares of the test arena and the final arena will be specified later.
10. The maximum voltage difference between any two points of the bot at any point of the game must not be more then 12 V.
11. The teams will have to submit their code before the competition starts and no further changes in the code will be allowed.
12. The competition is based on the point system. The team that has the maximum number of points wins the competition.
13. Each team will be given two runs of 3 minutes each to perform in the elimination round and the final round.
14. It will be considered that the bot has entered a particular square if the center of the bot is inside that square.
15. The arena will be made of 8mm thick plywood with the various colors painted on it.
16. The teams using wires to connect the computer port to the bot must ensure that the wire length must be at least 6 meters.
17. The teams may use an on-board power supply. In case of wired bots, teams are allowed to use a 12 V adaptor / eliminator as power supply but they should make sure that the wire connecting centre of the bot with the supply is at least 6 meters long.
18. A team may consist of a maximum of 4 members.

Details of the Elimination Round and Final Round Arena:

1. The arena size and the arrangement of squares may differ from the test arena.
2. The size of the squares and the colors used for the elimination round and final arena will be the same as the test arena.
3. There will be a white boundary of 30 cm width around the arena for sure and white color will not be used anywhere else in the arena.
4. The webcam will be hanged in such a way that it focuses on at least the full arena including the white path. The place outside the white boundary can be of any color except white.
5. The “Start” and “Stop” zones can be placed anywhere in the white boundary except the four extreme corner squares.
6. There will be at least one continuous (not diagonally) red path connecting the “Start” and “Stop” zones.

Specifications of the robot

• The dimensions of the bot should not exceed 25cm x 25cm x 30 cm (L x B x H).
• The bot can be interfaced to the computer via any of the ports (serial, parallel or USB).

Point System

1. R = No. of unique red squares covered in 3 minutes
       S = No. of seconds left if the bot reaches the zone marked as “Stop” before 3 minutes
       P = No. of times the bot enters any other color square
       D = 30 points if the bot stops at the zone marked “Stop” by itself.
   Total Points= 20 * R + 2 * S - 10 * P + D

2.   The best score of two runs will be considered as the final score of the team.

3. The team having maximum points at the end of the two runs will be the winner.
    

Abstract

All registered teams will be required to mail an abstract for the event before 30th January, 2008 in the following format. And mail it to [email protected]

• Team name
• Team Leader name (Same As Registered)
• Algorithm: The teams must explain the Image Processing algorithm used by them and also give a rough outline of their code.
• Softwares Used: The teams must mention the software used by them for processing images and interfacing the bot to the computer.
• Camera Specifications: The teams should provide the details of the camera in case they plan to use a camera of their own on the bot

Eligibility

All students with a valid identity card of their respective educational institutes are eligible to participate in the event.

Special Note

• The decision of the judges shall be treated as final and binding on all.
• The organizers reserve the rights to change any or all of the above rules as they deem fit. Change in rules, if any will be highlighted on the website and notified to the registered participants.

Event Managers

[email protected]