1. ROBOT ARM 2017 Rules
Rachel Mason

2. End task: Move 10 Lincoln Pennies onto a Target.
Includes the combined scores of two runs of one robot.
Documentation is also part of the score.

3. Event Parameters No impound. Up to two student competitors.
10 minutes for the total time.
Device must fit in 25cm x 25cm x 100cm box

4. Supervisor provides: 10 Lincoln pennies Competition area
The supervisor’s time is the official time.

5. Students must: Wear eye protection.
Their robot that is hard wired (no plugging into the wall socket) and remote control device.
Place in the ready to run position.
Provide documentation of at least 10 runs.

6. Construction Rules 25 cm x 25 cm x 100 cm in ready to run position
14.4 V battery
Remote control box (wired, IR, R/C, pneumatic, etc.)
Contact with the competition board must be by gravity only.
Hard wired!! There were issues with this last year.

7. Only commercial batteries, not exceeding 14
Only commercial batteries, not exceeding 14.4 volts as labeled, may be used to energize each of the Device's electrical circuits.
Multiple batteries may be connected in series or parallel as long as the expected voltage output across any two points does not exceed 14.4 volts as calculated using their labeled voltage.
Teams must be able to show the Event Supervisors (ES) the labeled voltage

8. What is NOT allowed
Lead-acid batteries are not allowed. Laptops/tablets not connected to a wall outlet may be used to control
The Device and their internal voltage does not need to be checked.

9. Documentation Illustrations should show: All motors/actuators
All energy sources
Controls used to interact with the device.
Operating Description:
How their robot will move the pennies.
Written Log
At least 10 runs of their robot
Record at least 3 parameters including:
Score, time, and any additional parameters

10. Competition
The supervisor selects 6 components from the competitors documentation
Students point them out on the device and there is a penalty for every component incorrectly identified.
2 minutes preparation time and test prior to each of 2 official runs of their robot.
3 minute run time for each official run.
This adds up to the total of 10 min.

11. Competition Area-provided by the Event Supervisor
Playing field is 70 cm x 70 cm
Measured from the inside edge of tape approximately 2.5 cm wide.
Robot arm sits in a 25 cm x 25 cm square inside and centered on the southern edge of the playing field
An archery target is centered in the playing field. With the center of the target 22 cm from the northern edge of the device square.

12. Competition Area Part 2
Move pennies from the playing field onto the archery target
5 stacks of 10 pennies all placed heads up
A stack of pennies is tangent to the target in each of the 4 sides
The 5th stack of pennies is placed in the southwest corner of the playing field

13. Scoring Pennies earn points by:
Location on the Target
Lying completely flat
Not being under or over another penny
Double points for Tails-ups
Additional 10 points for All parts of the Arm & Base are within the vertical space above the Device Square at end of each run.
Sum of two runs is the team score.

14. Construction notes Different types of robot arms
Based on degrees of freedom (rotation points)
Two major types useful for SO
Fully articulated, hemispherical
Crane type

15. Bonus Scoring
Bonus: Teams receive 10 Bonus Points if all parts of the Arm(s) and optional Base are within the vertical space above the Device Square at the end of the run.
Final Score = Run Score x Penalty Multiplier(s)

16. Penalties
For each item incorrectly identified in 6.a. a Penalty Multiplier of 0.98 will be assessed. (Max 6 times)
For Incomplete Technical Documentation a Penalty Multiplier of 0.95 will be assessed.
For no Technical Documentation a Penalty Multiplier of 0.80 will be assessed.

17. Ties: Ties are broken by Time of non-scored run.
1) Best non-scored run
2) Shortest Run Time of best single run
3) Shortest Run
Time of non-scored run.

18. Tiers: Tiers: Tier 1: Devices that meet all requirements.
Tier 2: Devices with only Competition violations.
Tier 3: Devices with any Construction violations or both Competition and Construction violations.
Participation Points only: Devices that violate the frequency rules; that have no capability, by design or construction, to score points via moving pennies; or are unable to compete.

19. Resources:
In the rules: Recommended Resources: All resources including the Robot Arm DVD (RAD) are available on the Official Science Olympiad Store or Website at
You-Tube videos: see gold medal winner from Harriton HS
Your local University engineers
Parents/members of the community
scioly.org/wiki/index.php/Robot_Arm

20. Hemispherical/Articulated
A robot with at least 3 rotary joints.
Traditional “arm”
Limited ground reach.

21. Crane Parrallel axis-joints
Each joint is lined up with all the other joints.
More ground reach than an articulated

22. End Effector The part of the robot that will move the pennies.
4 categories
Impactive – jaws, claws, grasps.
Ingressive – pins/needles (penetrates the item)
Astrictive – Suction force
Contigutive – direct contact for adhesion

23. General Tip
Read the rules
KISS
Do not over/design engineer

24. General tips Central joint is CRITICAL
Must support the entire arm, strongest point in arm
Weight at end of arm also important
Giant lever, mass at end of arm is multiplied force on central joint
Stiffness everywhere
Servos are better than motors
More expensive
Stronger
More precise

25. Thank you for attending!