Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!uunet!drd!a.cs.okstate.edu!rjs
From: rjs@a.cs.okstate.edu (STOLFA ROLAND JOSE)
Subject: Neat idea
Message-ID: <1992Oct26.143400.11545@a.cs.okstate.edu>
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Computer Science, Stillwater
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 92 14:34:00 GMT
Lines: 72

Neter's,

I have been struck with the inventive spirit.  I have the following
proposal for all of you who are interested...

We've all heard of the micromouse competition.  Most of us have heard
of the BEAM robotics competitions (mwtilden, et.al.).  Some of us have
heard of the "Stiquito" (J. W. Mills).  Ok, let's put it all together...

I propose to have a teathered stiquito micromouse (bug?) maze competition.
Here is how I propose to do it:

1.	The playing field be a simple sheet of black flocking paper
	(used on the inside of some telescopes, available at photo
	shops & Edmond) as the base, non-IR reflecting surface.  The maze
	path (not walls) are placed on this surface with the aluminium
	tape that is used for detecting broken glass windows in
	security installations at spacing's to be determined later.

2.	The stiquito would be teathered to a simple controller above it.
	This would allow quite a bit of computational power, without
	the need for masive lightness.  Ie. you could even use your
	latest greatest PC (notebook Spark station, yea....  :-) to
	drive this thing.

3.	Some of the sensors that would be allowed would be:

	A.	some simple array of IR detectors/emmiters, slung
		under the Stiquito.
	B.	Simple grouding strip to the aluminum tape? 
	C.	Any other BEAM type ideas (yea, keep it simple :-).
		Ideas???

	General idea is that ALL of the sensors must be carried by
	the stiquito...

Uniqueness points for this project:

1.	Fairly low cost.  I'll be more than willing to flesh out the
	rules for all of this, if there is interest.  Given the right
	conditions, this could even be strictly a programming project
	(provided a PC, a stiquito, and a simple interface).  Ie. you
	could build your own, test your code, and then mail your software
	entry to some central "competition" site.

2.	The first "legged" micromouse competition.  The rolling mice have
	been around for quite some time.  Here is a new direction, with
	it's own NEW challanges, that we can all start on a level playing
	field.

3.	Given that the "interface" to the PC could be activated from any
	PC language (even BASIC), this whole system might be a good one
	for getting youngsters involved (even junior high types).

Research intrests involved:

1.	Yet further research into legged locomotion.

2.	Fairly easy system to deal with new control systems software.
	I guess you could even try out subsumption control systems;

Ok, I"ll volunteer to referre this thing.  Just send your ideas to
"rjs=smm@a.cs.okstate.edu", and if there is any response, I'll do my
best to fully flesh out the rules, etc.

Oh, and by the way, hats off to Jonathan Mills for the Stiqutio design
(really neat) and the BEAM-team (Mark Tilden & ???) for their concepts
that glued all of these ideas together for me.  Great job everybody!!!
Keep those neat ideas comming.

Roland Stolfa
rjs@a.cs.okstate.edu
