MICROMOUSE

1.Rules

• Participants have to submit their machines to organizers at the time of registration during the event. 
• After the maze is unveiled, the mouse handler is given 1 minute, to make any adjustments (if any) to the mouse sensors. However, NO selection of strategies must be made, NO information on the maze configuration entered or captured into the memory. Any participant doing so will be disqualified instantaneously.
• Each contesting Micromouse is allocated a total of 10 minutes of access to the maze after the 3 minutes sensor adjustment and practice time. The maze-time clock will commence after the expiry of the 3 minutes time limit even if the handler is still making adjustments to the sensors.
• Any time used to adjust a mouse between runs is included in the 10 minutes. Each run (from the start cell to the center zone) in which a mouse successfully reaches the destination square is given a run time. Each run shall be made from the starting square. The operator may abort a run at any time. If an operator touches the Micromouse during a run, it is deemed aborted, and the mouse must be removed from the maze. If a mouse has already crossed the finish line, it may be removed at any time without affecting the run time of that run. If a mouse is placed back in the maze for another run, a Touch Penalty will be added. First prize goes to the mouse with the shortest official time which is calculated as:

Official Time = Best Run Time + Touch Penalty 

Touch Penalty = (N/5)*(Best Run Time) where N = Number of touches prior to the best run.        

• NOTE, again, that the 10-minute timer continues even between runs. The maximum number of distinct cells will rank mice that do not enter the center square they consecutively transverse without being touched and at the discretion of the Judges. All mice that enter the center square within their 10-minute allotment are ranked higher than those who do not enter the center square. 
• The starting procedure of the mouse shall be simple and must not offer a choice of strategies to the handler. For example, a decision to make a fast run to the centre as time runs out must be made by the Micromouse itself. The starting procedure shall be submitted to the judges when the mouse is registered on the day of the contest. 
• If a mouse 'gets into trouble' the handlers can ask the judge for permission to abandon the run and restart the mouse at the beginning (Touch penalty shall be added in this case). A mouse may not be re-started merely because it has taken a wrong turn - the judges' decision is final. Participants have to ask for the judges’ permission before abandoning the run of the mouse.
• After the maze is disclosed, the operator shall not feed ANY information on the maze into the Micromouse. Ant team doing so will be disqualified. Downloading new program once the maze is unveiled shall lead to disqualification.
• Do not make any assumptions about the amount of sunlight, incandescent light, or fluorescent light that may be present at the contest site.
• If no successful run has been made, the judge will make a qualitative assessment of the Micromouse’s performance, based on distance achieved, 'purposefulness' versus random behavior and quality of control. 
• The run timer will start when front edge of the mouse crosses the start line and stops when the front edge of the mouse crosses the finish line. The start line is at the boundary between the starting unit square and the next unit square. The finish line is at the entrance to the destination square.
• Every time the mouse leaves the start square, a new run begins. If the mouse has not entered the destination square, the previous run is aborted. For example, if a mouse re-enters the start square (before entering the destination square) on a run, that run is aborted, and a new run will be deemed begun, with a new time that starts when the starting square is exited. 
• The mouse may, after reaching the destination square, continue to navigate the maze, for as long as their total maze time allows.
• If a mouse continues to navigate the maze after reaching the destination square, the time taken will not count toward any run. Of course, the 10-minute timer continues to run. When the mouse next leaves the start square, a new run will start. Thus, for better "Run time", a mouse may make several runs without being touched by the operator. It should make its own way back to the beginning to do so.
• The judges reserve the right to ask the operator for an explanation of the Micromouse. The judges also reserve the right to stop a run, declare disqualification, or give instructions as appropriate (e.g., if the structure of the maze is jeopardized by continuing operation of the mouse).
• The contestants should be prepared with the circuit diagrams, algorithms and code listings to convince the judges that any alteration they do in the total 11 minute span does not add topological information about the maze to the mouse.
• A contestant may not feed information on the maze to the Micromouse. Therefore, changing ROMs or downloading programs is NOT allowed once the maze is revealed. However, contestants are allowed to: 

1.    Replace batteries between runs

2.    Adjust sensors (gain, position etc.)

3.    Change speed settings

4.    Make repairs

5.    However, a contestant may not alter a mouse in a manner that alters its weight (e.g. removal of a bulky sensor array or switching to lighter batteries to get better speed after mapping the maze is declared is not allowed). The judges shall arbitrate.

2. General Rules  

1.    Any team that is not ready at the time specified will be scratched from the competition automatically.

2.    The machine will be checked for its safety before the race and will be discarded if found unsafe for other participants and spectators. 

3.    Judges decision shall be treated as final and binding on all.

4.    The organizers reserve the rights to change any or all of the above rules as they deem fit. Change in rules, if any will be highlighted on the website.

3. Elimination Details

1.    Elimination round will be held prior to the event.

2.    The teams will be given a time of 2 minutes for adjusting the sensors and practice. The actual run-time for the elims would be 5 minutes.

3.    The teams will be ranked according to the maximum number of distinct cells they cover in the best run. A hand-touch would require the mouse to start a new run.

4.    The top 15 teams will qualify for the finals. Other than this, the performance in the elimination round is of no significance to the contest.

4. Team Specifications

A team may consist a maximum of 4 members.

5. Eligibility

All students with a valid identity card of their respective educational institutes are eligible to participate.

Certificates will be given to all the teams qualifying for the finals.