diff --git a/resources/2026/challenges.html b/resources/2026/challenges.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..09741894 --- /dev/null +++ b/resources/2026/challenges.html @@ -0,0 +1,791 @@ +Challenges 2026 | Student Robotics

Student Robotics Challenges 2026

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Vision Challenge
  3. Movement Challenge
  4. Mechanics Challenge
  5. Sensing Challenge
  6. Simulator Challenge
  7. Transportation Challenge
  8. Stopping Challenge

Introduction

There are seven challenges which teams may optionally complete during the competition year. League points are available for up to four of your choosing. See the main rulebook for details on how these relate to the overall competition and when the deadlines for completion are.

Throughout these challenges a “robot” need not be fully constructed, nor is it limited by the size limits which would apply in the competition arena. Robots may use whatever sensing mechanisms they like, as long as those mechanisms would be permitted in the competition arena.

However, robots must be safe (as specified in the regulations) when completing these challenges.

Only the Simulator challenge may be completed in the simulator. The rest must be completed with a physical robot. When constructing components of the arena for use in challenges, they must match the specifications defined in the rules.

Submissions for each challenge should be made as a video on the web (e.g: on YouTube, Instagram, etc.) and linking this video in your Discord channel. When linking the video please use @Challenges so that your submission is seen. If a team’s challenge submission is not deemed successful, the team may attempt the challenge again. Feedback will be provided about why the submission was not successful.

Remember that you can also post in Discord if you want some help.

Vision Challenge

This challenge is to think about how your robot can use the camera to interpret the world around it.

To complete this challenge you will need to use the camera from your kit. The onboard LEDs will be used to indicate the robot’s state.

Certain sensors are more useful in certain situations, either due to their range, accuracy, or the information they provide. It is worth considering how you can use the sensors we’ve provided to you.

This challenge has two parts which can be submitted as separate videos, but both parts must be completed to earn the points.

To complete this challenge the two parts are:

  1. Distance sensing. Perform the following steps:
    • Start with your robot centred on the wall marker about 2000 mm from the wall.
    • Move towards the wall until you are less than 100 mm from the wall, then move back to 2000 mm
    • During this, illuminate the LEDs based on the following conditions:
      1. LED B in red when the robot is more than 1500 mm from the wall.
      2. LED B in blue when the robot is between 300 mm and 1500 mm from the wall.
      3. LED B in green when the robot is less than 300 mm from the wall.
    • Note: distance should be measured from the centre of the sensor or camera.
  2. Angle sensing. Perform the following steps:
    • Start with your robot centred on the wall marker and between 1 and 3 metres from the wall.
    • Turn your robot to the left, to the centre, then to the right, then reverse this.
    • During this, illuminate the LEDs based on the following conditions:
      1. LED A in blue when the marker is more than 15° left from square on.
      2. LED B in red when the marker is approximately square on (within a 30° arc).
      3. LED C in blue when the marker is more than 15° right from square on.

The robot may move autonomously or may be moved manually to complete this challenge.

Note: if moving the robot manually then it is recommended that the Motor and Servo boards be disconnected from the Power Board as well as any mechanical components secured for the duration of the demonstration.

Movement Challenge

This challenge is designed to test the robot’s ability to perform repeated movements accurately.

This is a key feature for a robot as, due to manufacturing tolerances, no two motors are exactly the same. As such, your robot must account for the differences in the motors to move in a straight line. This is often achieved by adjusting the power of the motors or, in some cases, by using external references.

To complete this challenge, your robot must:

Teams are encouraged to include in their submission video objects which establish the scale of the path traversed by the robot, for example a metre ruler.

Mechanics Challenge

This challenge is designed to test the robot’s ability to manipulate objects by lifting one of the objects from the game.

To move samples around, it is useful to be able to lift them. Using a mechanism that physically grabs the sides of the box to be able to pick it up is the most common approach, but they can also be lifted using vacuum suction or scoops that slide under the box.

To complete this challenge, your robot must:

Sensing Challenge

This challenge is designed to test the robot’s ability to use sensors other than its camera to detect objects in its environment.

To complete this challenge you will need to use a sensor (e.g., ultrasonic distance sensor, infrared distance sensor, bump switch, etc. but not the camera) to detect the presence—or absence—of an object. The object may be a sample box without its markers, a similar sized box, or a heavy book, etc. It must not have a marker on it.

You will need to show that the sensor can detect when the object is present and when it is absent. Light LED B in blue when an object is detected, and in red when an object is not.

To complete this challenge, complete the following steps:

Simulator Challenge

This challenge is designed to test your ability to program the robot, within the simulator environment.

The simulator reproduces the arena and many of the components of a physical robot. The simulated robots can play the same game as the real robots. In this challenge, you will demonstrate playing the game within the simulator.

To complete this challenge, your simulated robot must successfully bring two samples of the same type back to your laboratory in less than 150 seconds.

You can demonstrate this by either a screen capture video of the simulator running, or videoing the screen if that is not possible.

Transportation Challenge

This challenge is designed to test the robot’s ability to move samples from place to place.

To score points in the game, robots will need to be able to move samples into their laboratories. This challenge tests that ability.

To complete this challenge, you must mark out two locations on the ground at least 3m apart. One location is the starting location of a sample, and the other is the target location. Place your robot at least 1m away from both locations. Your robot must autonomously move a sample from the starting location to within 200mm of the target location, and then stop.

Stopping Challenge

This challenge is designed to test the robot’s ability to move precisely.

While it is possible to slowly move from one place to another adjusting as you go, it is very beneficial for a robot to be able to move both accurately and quickly.

To complete this challenge, place your robot 3m away from an arena wall marker. Your robot must drive towards the wall marker and stop within 100mm of it without touching it, and it must do so within 5 seconds of starting to move.

Revisions

From time to time Student Robotics may amend the challenges. When this happens, this document will be updated. Changes to the challenges will not affect existing submissions.

\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/resources/2026/rulebook.html b/resources/2026/rulebook.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f308b449 --- /dev/null +++ b/resources/2026/rulebook.html @@ -0,0 +1,791 @@ +Rules 2026 — The Neutral Zone | Student Robotics

Student Robotics The Neutral Zone

Table of Contents

  1. Prologue
  2. Scoring Rules
  3. Specifications
  4. Robot Design Rules
  5. Safety Regulations
  6. Opportunities to Earn Points
  7. Awards
  8. Revisions

Prologue

It’s a disaster!

Our entire chemical supply has been mixed up, and our research projects have ground to a halt. Your mission: Collect and catalogue the samples. But beware, these chemicals are strong – get acidic and basic samples too close together, and they'll react and neutralise each other. But act fast, there are competitors nearby.

Scoring Rules

  1. The objective of the game, called The Neutral Zone, is to retrieve samples and bring them to laboratories; but to selectively only bring one type of sample.
  2. The game is played between up to four robots.
  3. Each match lasts for 150 seconds.
  4. Robots will be started at the direction of match officials.
  5. The game is played in the arena specified in the Arena Specifications.
  6. There are two types of samples in the arena: acidic and basic. There are 8 of each.
  7. Four of each type of sample are placed on the floor of the arena, and four on the elevated central area.
  8. Each robot starts fully in its laboratory, in any orientation, and touching at least one arena wall.
  9. The pH of a laboratory starts at 7 (neutral).
    • Each acidic sample in the laboratory reduces the pH by 1.
    • Each basic sample in the laboratory increases the pH by 1.
    • There is no limit to how high or low the pH of a laboratory can be.
  10. At the end of the match, robots are scored as follows:
    • Robots earn one point for each pH level away from neutral (7) that their laboratory is.
    • Robots earn a bonus point for having any sample at all in their laboratory.
    • Robots earn a bonus point for at any point moving entirely out of their laboratory.
  11. A sample is in a laboratory if the vertical projection of the sample overlaps the laboratory, where the tape denoting the laboratory is also included in this area.
  12. Falling samples are scored where they come to rest.
  13. At the end of the match, the robot with the most points wins.
  14. Student Robotics reserves the right to have match officials in the arena during matches.
  15. The judge’s decision is final.
  16. Teams may not interact with their robot after the start of a match. This includes to restart their robot should it fail to start. Doing so may result in disqualification from the match.
  17. While accidental bumps and scrapes are inevitable, the sport is non-contact.
  18. Robots must not deliberately or negligently damage the arena or anything in it.
  19. A robot will be stopped during a match when it is at risk of severely damaging itself, other robots, the arena, or otherwise poses a safety risk.

Specifications

Arena

The arena is a square, shown to scale in the diagram below. The length of the outer walls are 4575±100 mm.

A diagram of the arena, showing locations of key features and graphically indicating the dimensions which are in these specifications.
  1. All measurements on the diagram are in millimetres. Measurements of the location of items in the arena are relative to its centre.
  2. The four rectangles in the corners of the arena outlined with the zone colours denote the laboratories.
  3. Each robot will be assigned a laboratory at the start of every match. Robots may start anywhere fully inside this area, facing any direction, as long as they are physically touching at least one arena wall.
  4. The perimeter of the arena floor is delimited by the arena wall, which has a minimum height of 220 mm.
  5. All lines are marked with 48 mm tape using the colours shown in the diagram.
  6. The floor of the arena is covered with textured, interlocking foam tiles. Note that this is a change from previous years when carpet was used.
  7. Laboratories are 2000±50 mm × 1000±50 mm rectangles in the corners of the arena, with the longer edges falling anticlockwise around the arena.

Markers

Along the arena walls, and on all faces of each sample, are fiducial markers that can be detected with the provided computer vision system. The identifying numbers and sizes of each of these markers are detailed in the table below.

ItemMarker NumbersMarker Size (mm)
Arena boundary0 - 19150
Acidic samples100-13980
Basic samples140-17980

The markers can be printed on a black-and-white printer.

Each of the arena walls have 5 markers positioned along them as detailed below. These are evenly spaced at a spacing of 762.5±20 mm between marker centres. All arena boundary markers are positioned with the grey border 50±10 mm above the floor.

Central Area

The central area is a raised deck in the middle of the arena, measuring 1220±50 mm × 1220±50 mm. It is elevated 180±30 mm above the floor of the arena. Its walls are solid and have no markers on them.

Samples

  1. Samples are "single wall" 130±10 mm cardboard box cubes.
  2. Samples have an 80 mm fiducial marker in the centre of each face.
  3. The identifier of this marker is the same for all faces.
  4. Along all edges of the samples is coloured tape to differentiate acidic from basic. Acidic samples are coloured red, and basic samples are coloured blue. This covers the remaining area of the faces that are outside the marker.
  5. There are 16 samples in total: 8 acidic and 8 basic. 4 of each type are placed on the flood of the arena, and 4 of each type are placed on the central area.
  6. The samples on the central area are placed with their centres 500 ±50 mm apart along a square pattern, alternating between acids and bases. Acids are placed on the corners of the square pattern, and bases on the edges.
  7. The samples on the floor are placed with their centres 1000 ±50 mm apart along a square pattern, alternating between acids and bases. Bases are placed on the corners of the square pattern, and acids on the edges.
  8. Samples on the edges of their respective square patterns are axis-aligned with the arena. Samples on the corners of their respective square patterns are rotated 45° relative to the arena alignment.
  9. Acid samples are denoted on the diagram, and physically marked in the arena, in red. Basic samples are denoted on the diagram, and physically marked in the arena, in blue. This is based on the colours used in universal indicators.
  10. Robots may differentiate acidic and basic samples by their fiducial markers. While they also differ by the colour of the tape, this is for human spectators and robots should not rely on colour detection. The tape may be additionally marked with hatching or other patterns to assist colour-blind spectators.
  11. The arrangement of samples may be seen on the diagram in the arena specification.
  12. The identifier of each sample in the arena is randomly chosen from the available values in the marker table and where particular samples start may vary between matches.
  13. Each sample has a unique value within the arena.

Robot Design Rules

To ensure a fair competition, all teams must adhere to the following regulations. Violations of these rules, without an exemption, may result in penalties. These may include deductions of points or outright disqualification.

  1. All robots must be safe.
  2. Teams must conduct themselves within the principles of good sporting conduct.
  3. Robots must fit within a 500 mm × 500 mm × 500 mm cube at the start of each match.
  4. During each match, robots must fit within a 600 mm × 600 mm horizontal square at all times. The robot’s height is not restricted during the match.
  5. Robots must have a spare USB slot accessible to match officials.
  6. Robots must have a flag mounting that conforms to the flag mount requirements.
  7. Robots must not use any remote control systems, radio transmitters or receivers.
  8. Robots must not have any fiducial markers visible to other robots that may confuse other robots.

If you have questions or concerns about the rules and regulations, including applying for an exemption, please ask in Discord.

Flag Mounts

A “robot flag” is a removable identifier that will be attached to a robot throughout the match. It features the zone colour to allow spectators to easily associate a robot with its zone. Robot flags will be provided by Student Robotics. The flag assembly is shown below.

The pole is constructed from 15 mm white PVC piping. This is what will attach to your flag mount. A standard push-fit plumbing connector is recommended for this, such as the JG Speedfit PEM0415W.

A simple representation of a robot flag, graphically showing the specifications from this section.

To allow flags to be easily used with your robot, your flag mount must conform to the following requirements:

  1. The flag mount must be securely affixed to the main chassis of the robot, and hold the flag vertical when the robot is in its typical stopped position.
  2. Flags are not counted when considering the size of the robot.
  3. The identifying part of the robot flag must be visible when attached to the mount.

Safety Regulations

To confirm that your robot is safe, a safety inspection will be carried out by Student Robotics prior to the start of the competition event. Robots must pass a safety inspection before they can enter a physical arena. In order to pass safety inspection, robots must:

  1. Have a mass of less than 13 kg. Generally, teams should aim for their robot to be below 10 kg.
  2. Have all electronics securely mounted with removable fastenings. Cable ties and screws are recommended for this. Please do not affix anything to the boards with glue or double-sided tape. Electronics should be mounted such that they are not easily damaged.
  3. Have all wiring tidy and securely mounted. Wiring must not be at risk of being snagged by mechanisms or other robots. Wires should be mounted with removable fastening to aid development.
  4. Provide adequate protection to the batteries they use, including protection from mechanical damage. A hard case that secures the battery is recommended for this.
    1. Only batteries provided or authorised by Student Robotics may be used.
    2. The robot may only be powered through the Student Robotics power board.
    3. Only chargers provided or authorised by Student Robotics may be used to charge the provided batteries.
  5. Have a power switch, which will completely immobilise the robot. It must be accessible and obvious, without disassembling the robot in any way. It should be on the top of the robot.
  6. Not have any sharp edges or points.
  7. Not contain any power system that exceeds 50 V.

If you have questions or concerns about the rules and regulations, including applying for an exemption, please ask in Discord.

Opportunities to Earn Points

There are multiple activities spread across the year that you can gain League Points for completing and will help you prepare for the competition. These include:

There are seven challenges which teams may optionally complete during the competition year. Completing up to four of them earns additional League Points. The challenges may be approached in any order and are worth 12 League Points in total, so 3 League Points per challenge. Throughout the challenges your robot does not need to be fully assembled and we encourage you to complete the challenges while you construct your robot.

Submissions for each challenge should be made as a video on the web (e.g: on YouTube, Instagram, etc.) and linking this video in your Discord channel. When linking the video please use @Challenges so that your submission is seen. Don't worry if your first submission doesn't pass - this is very common! We'll provide detailed feedback on what needs to be improved, and you can submit as many times as you like up to the deadline until you achieve a pass.

The challenges are specified in the challenges document.

  1. After 6pm GMT on December 13th 2025 submissions will only be scored for three challenges per team.
  2. After 6pm GMT on January 24th 2026 submissions will only be scored for two challenges per team.
  3. After 6pm GMT on February 21st 2026 submissions will only be scored for one challenge per team.
  4. After 6pm GMT on March 7th 2026 no more submissions will be scored for the challenges.

The League comprises several matches.

At the end of a match, the participating teams are ranked in order of Game Points. League Points are then awarded as follows:

Tied robots will be awarded the average of the League Points that their combined positions would be awarded. Thus, three robots tied for first place would receive 6 points each (since this is (8 + 6 + 4) ÷ 3).

Following the League, the accumulated League Points will be used to seed the Knockouts. League Points will also be used to break ties in Knockouts matches. This Knockouts will be used to determine the final 1st, 2nd and 3rd awards through an elimination tournament.

Awards

Main Competition Awards

Trophies awarded to the teams that place highest in the Knockouts at the end of the competition. The teams in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place receive awards.

Excellence in Engineering Award

A trophy awarded to the team that displays the most extraordinary ingenuity in the design of their robot. It is not purely awarded for complexity of design, but rather for producing an elegant solution to the problem, and demonstrating good engineering principles.

Rookie Award

An edible prize awarded to the team, competing in Student Robotics for the first time, which places highest in the League.

Online Presence Award

An edible prize awarded to the team judged to have the best online presence throughout the year. The hashtag for the competition is #srobo2026. Teams are reminded not to post private information about their members or others.

Robot and Team Image Award

A trophy awarded to the team judged to present the image of their team, and their robot, in the most outstanding way. We will consider, for instance: theming, aesthetics of the robot, props, or team costumes.

Revisions

From time to time Student Robotics may amend the rulebook. When this happens, this document will be updated, and teams will be notified.

\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/rules/index.md b/rules/index.md index 520d2ad5..90badcf5 100644 --- a/rules/index.md +++ b/rules/index.md @@ -1,24 +1,24 @@ --- layout: page title: SR2026 Rules -show_rulebook: false +show_rulebook: true --- SR2026 Rules ============ {% if page.show_rulebook %} - []({{ site.baseurl }}/resources/2026/rulebook.html) The rules, regulations and specifications for the SR2026 competition can be - found in the [rulebook]({{ site.baseurl }}/resources/2026/rulebook.html). + found in the rulebook: - The rules may be subject to changes, so please ensure you're using the most up-to-date version. - We will also let you know of any important changes by email. + Download rulebook + + The challenges for the SR2026 competition can be found in the challenges document: -
+ Download challenges - []({{ site.baseurl }}/resources/2026/challenges.html) - The challenges for the SR2026 competition can be found in the [challenges document]({{ site.baseurl }}/resources/2026/challenges.html). + The rules and challenges may be subject to changes, so please ensure you're using the most up-to-date version. + We will also let you know of any important changes by email. {% else %} The rules, regulations and specifications for the SR2026 competition will be released at Kickstart. {% endif %}