μMouse4D

The task of the event is to write the code for a robot which can traverse a maze and reach its centre in the quickest possible time. The code of the robot will be simulated in Microsoft Robotics Studio.
This event is Online - no robot has to be built for this.
The coder has to edit a function which controls the movement of the bot. The template for all codes will be provided by the AI heads of ROBOTIX.

• The maze comprises of n x n multiples of a unit square where n is a multiple of 4 and can vary from round to round. For e.g – n can be 16, 32, 64
• The size of a unit square is 1 x 1 m2.
• The walls of the maze are 1m high, and 5 cm thick.
• Passageways between walls are 95 cm wide.
• The entire maze is enclosed by an outside wall.
• Square Posts which are 5cm x 5cm and are 1m high are placed at the corner of each unit square. All posts have at least one wall touching it, except the posts of the destination square.

Centre

• The centre of the maze is a large opening composed of 4 unit squares.
• The centre post at the intersection of the 4 squares is not attached to any wall.

Start

• The bot starts from one of the corners of the maze.
• On the north of the bot will be an open space, while the west and south of the bot will be closed.
• At the starting the centre of the robot is at the centre of the first unit square.

Practice_Mazes.rar (47 KB)
containing,

• 8x8 practice1.xml
• 8x8 practice2.xml
• 8x8 practice3.xml
• 8x8 practice4.xml
• 8x8 practice5.xml
• 16x16 Practice Maze 1.xml

To use the Practice Mazes Follow These Instructions(for both C++ and C# Users):

1. Extract the Archive in your MSRS Root folder, i.e. C:\Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.5)\
2. When you want to use 16x16 maze then edit the text file C:\m4dmaze.txt using notepad, and change the default value "8" (for 8x8 Mazes) to "16". When using the 8x8 Maze change it back to "8".
3. Run the Simulation as usual by the shortcut on your desktop.
4. Let all the windows load, and you see the default maze. Don't Click Connect.
5. In the Microsoft Visual Simulation Environment window, Goto File-->Open Scene Option, and open the practice maze you want to use, from the folder inside MSRS root where you extracted the archive.
6. The Simulation Environment Viewport will go black while, your maze is loaded. This might take some time.
7. The new Maze Loads, and now you can connect your code using Dashboard and practice it on it.

Microsoft Robotics Studio 1.5 (87.5 MB)
For Instructions Regarding Installation please refer to Installation Tutorial and please post your queries in our forum.

C# Simulator (656 KB)
Download the new updated (2/12/08) version of μMOUSE4d Simulator 1.0 (MicroMouse4D_1.0_Setup.rar)
Updates from (22/10/08) Version

1. Updated Comments and Explained Parameters
2. Minor Corrections in the sample usercode.cs and dashboardM4D.cs

NOTE FOR OLD USERS: Follow these Instructions

1. Backup your usercode.
2. Uninstall the earlier Simulator ( Start->All Programs->MicroMouse4d->Uninstall MicroMouse4d )
3. Install the New Simulator.
4. Rebuild All from Visual Studio.
5. Use the Shortcut on your Desktop AND/OR MSRS Root folder to run Simulation.

C++ Simulator (2.5 MB)
Download the new C++ version of μMOUSE4d Simulator 1.0 (MicroMouse4D_cplusplus.rar)
NOTE: Follow these Instructions

1. Uninstall all the earlier instances of MicroMouse4D C# Simulator, if you have to, manually delete the DashboardM4D directory from MSRS root folder
2. Install the New Simulator.
3. Rebuild the solution DashboardM4D.sln from C:\Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.5)\DashboardM4D\ in Visual Studio 2005.
4. Rebuild the solution m4d_ext.sln from C:\Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.5)\m4d_ext\ in Visual Studio 2005.
5. Use the Shortcut on your Desktop or MSRS Root folder to run Simulation.

For further queries refer to the Installation Tutorials in Tutorial Section

SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED
27th January 2009, 11:59 PM IST

Note: Submit any number of times before the deadline to know the feedback of your code.

Submission Details:

1. Your submission should be a single archive(zip or rar) named m4d<team name>.zip or m4d<team name>.rar
2. The archive should contain following files/folder
   1. DashboardM4D folder containing the Visual Studio Project with your usercode.[ Copy the DashboardM4D folder from MSRS Root ]
   2. A .pdf or .rtf file titled "Algorithm.pdf" or "Algorithm.rtf" explaining the details of algorithm you have used to solve the problem statement.
   3. A .txt file titled "Details.txt"containing :
      1. Team Name (as registered on Robotix Website)
      2. Team Members, e-mail address(s),Phone number(s), College Name
      3. Version of Visual Studio used: (2005 / 2008)
      4. Specific Instructions for running the code (if any).
3. The Archive should be e-mailed as an attachment to umouse4d@robotix.in before 22nd January 2009 11:59 PM IST

To make the event more Competitive, the Top 3 Scores (calculated on the default maze), submitted will be updated daily at this page. Keep on Checking this page.

• The robot length and width is fixed at 25cmx25cm. The height of the robot will be 50 cm.
• The sensors used are IR sensors. The user can edit the number of sensor he wants to use from 1 to 6. The sensors can be located at any angle from 0 to 180.
• He/She has to edit the details of the sensors provided according to the instructions in the code.
• The Participant can also edit the angles at which the sensors will be located. The sensors can be located at any angle from 0 to 180 with 0.5 degree resolution.
• Also, the participant can calibrate the distance upto which IR sensors will give a definite high or low, the limit being 5m.
• Details of calibration and selection of sensors is provided in the tutorial.
• The speed of the robot can be controlled with the code.
• The angle of the robot is also provided as explained in the tutorial.

• The mouse is started inside the starting zone. The time since it is first activated is measured. This is called search time.
• The time since it last left the original cell is called run time. Every time the mouse returns to the original cell, the run time is reset to zero.
• Travelling from destination square to the start point is not measured.
• The program will continue till the code of the user calls the run_end() function.
• After the mouse has stopped, the latest run from the start zone to the destination square is considered as its official run.
• A mouse is considered inside the start square or end square if its centre of mass is inside the zone.
• The parameters of the bot such as bot speed, laserdata will be available to the user in a class. Details of all classes and code is put up in the tutorials.

• The score will be calculated as follows :
  Score : Run Time in milliseconds + (Search time in milliseconds/60) + Penalty
• There is no penalty if the robot reaches the centre of the maze.
• If the robot doesnt reach the centre, the penalty is 60,000 + 40,000*(distance of centre of the robot to the centre of the central square post)
• Scoring is subject to change.

• Sample Code 1: Autonomous Navigation of the Maze
• Sample Code 2: Hard Coded Bot to reach the center of the Maze

• Right Click the Link, and choose Save Target As.
• Save the file as usercode.cs in your DashboardM4D Solution folder,[ C:\Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.5)\DashboardM4D\DashboardM4D\ ]. Replace it with existing usercode.cs file.
• Rebuild the Solution.
• Run the Simulation using the shortcut on desktop

• Tutorial 1: Micromouse Robot Dimensions and Parameters
• Tutorial 2: Complete MicroMouse4D Installation Guide
• Tutorial 3: MicroMouse4D Coding Guide
• Tutorial 4: Micromouse Algorithm guide
• Tutorial 5: Working with MicroMouse4D C++ Simulator