The object of the contest is to build a robot which can negotiate a specified maze in the shortest time. A robot participating in this contest is termed a 'micromouse'. The person who places the micromouse in the maze and starts its operation is termed a 'handler'.
Specifications for the Maze
The maze shall comprise 16 x 16 multiples of an 18 cm x 18 cm unit square. The walls constituting the maze shall be 5 cm high and 1.2 cm thick. Passageways between the walls shall be 16.8 cm wide. The outside wall shall enclose the entire maze.
The sides of the maze walls shall be white, and the top of the walls shall be red. The floor of the maze shall be made of wood and finished with a non-gloss black paint. The coating on the top and sides of the walls shall be selected to reflect infra-red light and the coating on the floor shall absorb it.
The start of the maze shall be located at one of the four corners. The starting square shall have walls on three sides. The starting square orientation shall be such that when the open wall is to the `north', outside maze walls are on the `west' and `south'. At the centre of the maze shall be a large opening which is composed of 4 unit squares. This central square shall be the destination. A red post, 20 cm high and 2.5 cm on each side, may be placed at the centre of the large destination square if requested by the handler.
Small square posts, each 1.2 cm x 1.2 cm x 5 cm high, at the four corners of each unit square are called lattice points. The maze shall be constituted such that there is at least one wall touching each lattice point, except for the destination square.
The dimensions of the maze shall be accurate to within 5% or 2 cm, whichever is less. Assembly joints on the maze floor shall not involve steps of greater than 0.5 mm. The change of slope at an assembly joint shall not be greater than 4 degrees. Gaps between the walls of adjacent squares shall not be greater than 1 mm.
Specifications for the micromouse
A micromouse shall be self-contained. It shall not use an energy source employing a combustion process.
The length and width of a micromouse shall be restricted to a square region of 25 cm x 25 cm. The dimensions of a micromouse which changes its geometry during a run shall never be greater than 25 cm x 25 cm. The height of a micromouse is unrestricted.
A micromouse shall not leave anything behind while negotiating the maze.
A micromouse shall not jump over, climb, scratch,damage or destroy the walls of the maze.