View the Fire Fighting Challenge power point (inside the RoboRAVE Int’l Challenge power point)

An autonomous robot must locate and extinguish, without touching, four lit candles under 3 minutes.

Qualification to compete in the FIRE FIGHTING Challenge is required. When & where: ON FRIDAY, MAY 3RD, 2013 at the Roboquerque Convention Center between NOON and 8:00p. 

Qualification is met when a robot can successfully demonstrate its ability to locate, approach, turn ON the extinguishing mechanism and extinguish ONE candle in direct view of the robot.
Qualification attempts are unlimited provided they are within the qualification period.
Once a team qualifies for the FIRE FIGHTING Challenge, the team is free to practice on adjacent fields.

NEW 2013 – OPEN fields on Saturday, May 4, from 8:30a till NOON. Run as many 3 minute heats as possible to earn your highest 3 scores. If you are in the TOP 8 teams by NOON, you will qualify for a SINGLE ELIMINATION tournament after lunch.

Each heat is 3 minutes in length.

What the robot is expected to do in each heat:

NEW RULE CHANGE for 2013 – TOUCHING your ROBOT during your 3 minutes ENDS your 3 minutes. NO returning it back home to restart, as done in the past. 

Locate and extinguish, without touching, four lit candles.  

1. FUN is the number #1 priority over winning!
2. The robot must complete the task within 3 minutes.
3. The robot must be 100% autonomous during the task.
4. The robot can be any robotic platform.
5. The robot’s base area must be 144 square inches or less.
6. The robot’s height can be unlimited.
7. The mechanism for extinguishing any candle must be programmed to turn ON only after it stops at a candle and then turn OFF while it seeks the next candle.
8. Cost of building the robot system, including donated and purchased material, must not exceed $1500.
9. Teams must be able to produce an itemized materials list if cost is called into question during the competition.
10. Concerns or questions about any ruling must be brought to the Event Coordinators. All decisions by Event Coordinators are final

The 8’ x 16’ field is border by a 3” wide white vinyl strip containing a 1” flat black line in the middle. 
Three candles on the field are behind walls ranging from 18” – 36” long by 16” high.

The Candles

• The candles will be common dinner table type (tapered at the top) ranging between 8” to 10” high.
• Height will include candleholder.
• Three of the four candles will be behind unsecured walls randomly placed on the field.
• One candle will be in direct view of the robot at the start of the challenge.

Possible points that can be earned during the Fire Fighting event:

AWARDS

• A team that successfully extinguishes ALL four candles during a 3-minute heat wins the Wilkinson Award of $200. A team can only win the award once a year, but more than one team can win.
• One candle must be extinguished during any heat to place.
• IF NO candle is extinguished during any of the three heats but points have been earned from the Engineering Report/Overview, Corporate Partnership Letter/Logo, or Video, then $100 will be the maximum prize awarded.
• IF more than one team is vying for an award position without extinguishing any candles, then teams will be ranked according to point values.

The Wilkinson Award – is awarded to any team that successfully extinguishes all 4 candles in 3 minutes DURING the afternoon tournament – NOT DURING MORNING TRIALS. 

HISTORY – After 5 years of competition, the first team to extinguish ALL 4 candles happened in 2011 by a team led by Jesse Wilkinson.  Hence the name of the award! In 2012, six teams accomplished the task. BRAVO!

Will you be the next Wilkinson Award winner in 2013?