Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider
Grand Finale: 23rd and 24th November, Bengaluru, India
The Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider competition on Mekathlon is a challenging robotics event that requires participants to design, build, and program a robot that can follow a line while avoiding obstacles. The objective is to create a robot that can navigate a complex track with ease, demonstrating precision, speed, and agility.
In this obstacle avoiding robot competition, participants must design and build a robot that can accurately follow a line, detect obstacles, and adjust its path in real-time. The robot must be programmed to make split-second decisions to avoid collisions and stay on course. The competition features a timed challenge, with the fastest robot completing the track with the fewest errors declared the winner.
This Line Follower and Obstacle Avoiding robot competition tests participants' skills in robotics, programming, and problem-solving while encouraging innovation, creativity, and critical thinking. It's an ideal platform for students, professionals, and enthusiasts to showcase their talents, learn from others, and push the boundaries of robotics and artificial intelligence. By participating in the Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider competition, individuals can demonstrate their expertise, win recognition, and take their skills to the next level.
All participants will get a Certification of Participation, medals will be given to the winners of the semi-final round and a trophy will be awarded to the grand finale winners.
Participants from the given category can participate in the Fastest Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider competition:
- Innovators - The participant's age should be from 11 to 14 years of age (as of 1st June 2024, 14 years not included)
- Pioneers - The participant's age should be from 14 to 18 years of age (as of 1st June 2024, 18 years not included)
In the Innovators category, only 30 teams are eligible to participate in the semi-final round from each city.
In the Pioneers category, only 30 teams are eligible to participate in the semi-final round from each city.
In the Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider competition, individual teams will compete to race against time while avoiding the obstacle in the path.
- Register yourself and your team members as a user on the official Mekathlon website, create a unique team name, if not registered already.
- Once your team members are registered, you may select the Fastest Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider competition from the competition list in your login panel, and apply. You will also be needed to select members from your team who will participate in the competition. A minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5 members in 1 team can participate. Also, select your city for participating in the event.
- Build a wireless autonomous Bot. Ready-made bots will not be allowed to compete. Only self-made bots will be allowed to participate.
- Prepare a video of 1 minute to 5 minutes (maximum 100 MB), showcasing team readiness, creativity, preparing for challenges, or anything to show passion to participate in Mekathlon. Share the video by email at events@mekathlon.commentioning Your Team name.
- Bots must be autonomous and cannot involve wireless communication between an operator and the bot.
- Bots can be circular, square, or of any shape, but must fit inside a rectangular box 30cm long, 30cm wide, and 40cm high at any given point in time.
- The maximum weight of the bot can not exceed 3kg (weight tolerance) at any given point in time, however, a tolerance of 5% in weight is acceptable
- The electric voltage anywhere inside the machine cannot exceed 16.8V at any given point in time.
- Batteries must be sealed, immobilized electrolyte type (gel cell, lithium, NiCad, or dry cells)
- Infrared light-reflecting materials must not be used on the outside. Minor parts that reflect infrared light could be used only if other robots are not affected. Robots must not produce magnetic interference for other robots on the field.
- If a team claims that their robot is affected by the other team's robot in any way they must show proof/evidence of the interference. Any interference must be confirmed by a Referee if a claim is placed by the other team.
- Any robotic parts/building material can be used until the robot meets the above specifications and if the design and construction are primarily the original work of the team as ready-made robots are not allowed to compete in the competition.
- The Racing track for the Fastest Line Follower with Obstacle Avoider competition is measured at 15 x 15 ft.
- The surface of the track will be white with a black line marked on it.
- The width of the black line will be 25mm.
- The obstacle dimensions are Length : 25cm , width: 5cm , Height: 25cm
- The track may contain crossed, curved, or discontinuous black lines.
- The track will have multiple obstacles that will hinder the progress of the bot.
- A sample track is given below. (Please note that this is not the final track).
- One team's robot will run on the track and the timing will be recorded.
- Before entering the arena the bot will be placed inside a rectangular box to check if it meets the desired specifications.
- 1.There are 2 different arenas, each with a varying path:
- i. Innovators: Simple with three obstacles
- ii. Pioneers: Complex with five obstacles
- 2.The competition consists of 3 stages.
- 1.There are 2 different arenas, each with a varying path:
- Participants can utilise the testing arena to calibrate and test their bots.
Stage 1: Qualifying Rounds- 1. Each team will run on the track to record their fastest time completion.
- 2. One team member is allowed in the arena.
- 1. The team must complete the track without competing for time.
- 2. The judge will whistle at the start and finish of the race.
- 3. You have a maximum of 3 minutes to complete the track.
- 4. You can repair your bot in this duration.
- i.No robot changes will be allowed after Round 1.
- ii.No extra practice or repairs after Round 1.
- 1. Each team gets 5 minutes in the arena.
- 2. The team can run their bot multiple times using unlimited restarts to complete the track.
- 3. The clock will reset at each restart and the lowest time of completion will be recorded as the final time.
- 4. In case, a bot does not reach the endpoint. The time recorded until the farthest checkpoint will be recorded as the final time.
- 1. The top 8 teams with the least final time will proceed to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Quarterfinals
Round 1: Calibration Round- 1. The top 8 teams must complete the track without competing for time.
- 2. The judge will whistle at the start and finish of the race.
- 3. You have a maximum of 3 minutes to complete the track.
- 4. You can repair your bot in this duration.
- i.No robot changes will be allowed after Round 1.
- ii.No extra practice or repairs after Round 1.
- 1. All the top 8 teams will get 3 minutes in the arena.
- 2. Each team can run their bot multiple times using unlimited restarts to complete the track.
- 3. The clock will reset at each restart and the lowest time of completion will be recorded as the final time.
- 4. In case, a bot does not reach the endpoint. The time recorded until the farthest checkpoint will be recorded as the final time.
- 1. The top 4 teams with the least final time will proceed to Stage 3.
Stage 3: Semi-finals
Round 1: Calibration Round- 1. The top 4 teams must complete the track without competing for time.
- 2. The judge will whistle at the start and finish of the race.
- 3. You have a maximum of 3 minutes to complete the track.
- 4. You can repair your bot in this duration.
- i.No robot changes will be allowed after Round 1.
- ii.No extra practice or repairs after Round 1.
- 1. All the top 4 teams will get 3 minutes in the arena.
- 2. Each team can run their bot multiple times using unlimited restarts to complete the track.
- 3. The clock will reset at each restart and the lowest time of completion will be recorded as the final time.
- 4. In case, a bot does not reach the endpoint. The time recorded until the farthest checkpoint will be recorded as the final time.
- 1. After the semi-final round, the top 3 teams with the least final time will win the competition with the following titles:
- Winner
- 1st Runner-Up
- 2nd Runner-Up
Venue: Bengaluru (India)
Registration Fee:
- For Indian residents: INR 999/- (Inclusive GST) per team.
- For non-India residents: USD 30 per team.
Zonal Round:
Each competition will announce a 1st, 2nd and 3rd position winner. Each winning team will receive a certificate and a medal.
International Grand Finale
Each winning team will receive a certificate, medal and trophy.