World Robot Olympiad 2016

Regular Category
High School
Game description, rules and scoring

Recycling Plant
version: 15 January 2016

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Introduction
The challenge is to make a robot that brings sorted waste stored in recycling containers to the
corresponding recycling tank at a waste recycling plant. Furthermore, the robot shall bring the
recycling containers to their proper positions for the collection of more sorted waste. To
complete the mission, the robot shall finish in a robot maintenance area.

Contents
1. Game Description
2. Game Rules
3. Scoring
4. Table Specifications
5. Game Mat Specifications
6. Game Object Specifications
7. Alternative Rules Suggestions

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Game Description:
The mission of the robot is to bring 4 pieces of sorted waste into 4 empty recycling tanks
positioned at a recycling plant. The 4 pieces of sorted waste are represented by 4 2x2 LEGO
bricks of the colors red, blue, green and yellow. The recycling tanks are represented by square
hollow cuboids made out of LEGO bricks. The colors of the cuboids are red, blue, green and
yellow. Each of the 4 LEGO brick representing sorted waste needs to be placed in its matching
recycle tanks of the same color.

At the beginning of the game the 4 pieces of waste are in their proper recycling containers
represented by red, blue, green and yellow LEGO boxes and these 4 boxes are positioned in 4
colored recycling container areas. However, the recycling containers will not be in their
matching recycling container area of the same color, so the mission of the robot is also to bring
the recycling containers to their proper position before the robot ends the mission by returning
to the robot maintenance area.
Recycling Containers:

Recyclable waste:

Recycling Tanks:

The robot will start from within the start area (green square). 4 recycling containers represented
by red, blue, green and yellow LEGO boxes are randomly placed in the 4 recycling container
areas. Inside each recycling container is a piece of sorted waste represented by a LEGO brick of
the same color as the container. 4 recycling tanks are randomly placed in recycling tanks
positions in the Recycling Plant. The recycling tanks are square, hollow cuboids made out of red,
blue, green or yellow LEGO bricks.
The time taken to do the mission is 2 minutes.
Game Rules:
1. All teams must go to their designated pit area, be seated and wait for the announcement
of the start of the assembly time.
2. The competition format for this challenge is:
a. Qualifying rounds (best score taken).
b. Quarterfinals (1 round).
c. Semifinals (1 round).
d. Finals (1 round).
3. Assembly time for this challenge is 150 minutes and will occur before qualifying round 1.
4. Maintenance time for each subsequent round is as follows:
a. For qualifying round 2, 45 minutes.
b. For qualifying round 3, 30 minutes.
c. For quarterfinals round, 15 minutes.
d. For semifinals round, 15 minutes.
e. For finals round, 10 minutes.
5. Before the robot is placed in the quarantine area for inspection the robot must have only
one program with the name "run" in the "Software Files" folder on the NXT brick or only
one project on the EV3 brick. The name of the project must be "WRO2016" and the main
executable file must be named "run". The judge is allowed to do inspection of the brick
before the robot is run. If more than one executable (on the NXT brick) or project (on the

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EV3 brick) is detected the participant must remove all files, which violates the
requirement.
6. The robot will have 2 minutes to complete the challenge. Time begins at the point when
the judge gives the signal to start. The robot must be placed in the starting area so the
projection of the robot on the game mat is completely within the start area. The
EV3/NXT brick is switched off. The participants are allowed to make physical
adjustments to the robot in the starting area. However, data is not allowed to be entered
to a program by changing positions or orientation of the robot parts. If a judge identifies
that the team could be disqualified from the competition. Once physical adjustments
have been made to the satisfaction of the participants, the judge will give the signal for
the EV3/NXT brick to be switched on and a program to be selected (but not run).
Participants must wait for the judges signal to start before setting the robot into motion
(run the program).
7. The robots mission is to put the 4 2x2 LEGO bricks representing sorted waste
completely inside the 4 empty recycling tanks represented by square hollow cuboids
made out of LEGO bricks. Each of the 4 2x2 LEGO brick needs to be placed in its
matching recycling tank of the same color. The robot also needs to place the 4 recycling
containers in their matching recycling container area of the same color. The mission is
completed when the robot is completely inside the maintenance area (red polygon) all
parts of robot touching the field are completely in the red area.
8. The 2x2 LEGO blocks can be placed by the robot in any orientation and any position
inside the recycling tanks.
9. Before each round the 4 recycling containers with a 2x2 LEGO brick in each are placed
randomly on the colored squares of the 4 recycling container areas. Each recycling
container is placed in an area of a different color than the container.

Orientation of the container should be as shown - the bottom of the container is touching
the mat and the side with one handle is directed to the black line:

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Furthermore, the 4 recycling tanks are also placed randomly on the 18 yellow squares in
the Recycling Plant. However, there is only one tank placed in each of the 6 tank
locations on the 6 vertices of the hexagon (inside the green squares on the picture
below).

Two tanks cannot be set on next positions on two next tank location.

The random placement of the recycling containers can be done manually as follows: The
4 containers are placed in a non-transparent box. They are taken one by one from the
box and put on the field on the colored squares within the 4 recycling containers areas in
the order red area, blue, green and yellow. For each area containers are drawn from the
non-transparent box until a container is drawn with a different color than the area. The
random placement of recycling tanks can be done manually as follows: The 6 tank
locations are numbered 1 to 6. Put 6 pieces of paper with the numbers from 1 to 6 written
on them in a non-transparent box, draw 4 pieces of paper from the box and place the
recycling tanks on these numbered locations in the order red, blue, green and yellow.
Decide the yellow square placement inside the tank location for each recycling tank by
numbering the 3 squares from 1 to 3 and draw a piece of paper from a non-transparent
box with 3 pieces of paper with the numbers 1 to 3 on each. The chosen placements of the
recycling containers and recycling tanks are kept constant through a round.

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10. It is allowed to place a recycling container in its proper recycling container area without
removing the recyclable waste inside the container.
11. Depending on the orientation of the recycling containers placed by the robot and its
position in the color square different number of points will be given.
Recycling container with studs up or studs not up placed inside colored container area,
there is a part of the container which touching the internal square of the area:

12. The robot is not allowed to move the recycling tanks from the squares outlined by the
yellow border where it was located before the robot run. If a recycling tank is moved
from its position it is not within the square outlined by the yellow border and do not
touch the border, the waste loaded in such a tank is not being taken into account during
the scoring procedure.

13. The robot must not damage containers or tanks. If the robot damages a container or a
tank zero points will be given for this item.
14. The robot can leave on the field any parts of the robot that are not containing main units
(controller, motors, sensors) if needed. As soon as the part is touching the field or its
game element and does not touch the robot it is considered as a free LEGO element not
being part of the robot.
15. It is not allowed for the teams to touch the robot during the run.

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16. If there is any uncertainty during the task, the judge makes the final decision. They will
bias their decision to the worst outcome available for the context of the situation.
17. Your attempt and time will end if:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Challenge time (2 minutes) has ended.

Any team member touches the robot during the run.
The robot has completely left the game table.
A team member shouts STOP to end the run.
Violation of the rules and regulations within.
When the task has been completed and the projection of the robot is completely
in the maintenance area.

Scoring:
1. Score will only be calculated at the end of the challenge or when time stops.
2. Maximum score = 300 points
3. If teams have the same score, ranking is decided by the fastest time recorded.
Scoring Table:
Particulars
The waste is removed from the
recycling container. The waste
does not touch any part of any
container.
Waste is loaded to the tank of the
corresponding color, i.e. the waste
is touching the mat within the tank
with the same color. There are no
other waste bricks within the tank
or touching it. The tank is
completely within or touching the
yellow square it was initially
located at.
Waste is loaded to the tank of the
wrong color, i.e. the waste is
touching the mat within a tank of
the wrong color. There are no other
waste bricks within the tank or
touching it. The tank is completely
within or touching the yellow
square it was initially located at.
The container is placed in the
correct square, the studs are up
and any part of the bin is touching
internal square of the
corresponding color.
The container is placed in the

Points Each

Total

20 points per waste

80 points max

40 points per tank

160 points
max

20 points per tank

80 points max

10 points per container

40 points max

5 points per container

20 points max

Max Game
Total

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correct square, the studs are in any
direction except up and any part of
the bin is touching internal square
of the corresponding color.
Robot ends completely in the
maintenance area. No part of the
robot touching the field is outside
of the red polygon in the center of
the hexagon.
Robot ends in the maintenance
area. Some parts of the robot touch
the field within the red polygon in
the center of the hexagon. But
some parts touch the field outside
the red polygon.
Total

20 points

5 points

300 points

If two situations are applicable to assign points, the situation with greater score is being
accounted.
Table Specifications:
1.
2.
3.
4.

The internal sizes of a game table are 2362 mm x 1143 mm.

The external sizes of the table are 2438 mm x 1219 mm.
Primary color of a table surface is white.
Height of the borders: 70 20 mm

Game Mat Specifications:

1. All lines are 20 1 mm

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2. Dimensions may vary within 5mm
3. If the table is larger than the game mat the button edge and the right edge of the game
mat should align with two walls on the table.
Game Object Specifications:
Recycling Container:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 5

Step 4

Recycling Tank:

Step 1

Step 2

Alternative Rules Suggestions

Some country organizers may wish to modify the game rules to simplify the challenge.
Here are a few suggestions.

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1. Some organizers may simplify the challenge by removing the recycling tanks. The
mission of the robot will be to put the recycling containers to specific positions on the
hexagon. The position for every rontainer could be defined by a color title placed within
the corresponding yellow square.
2. Some organizers may want to put the recycling containers on the positions on recycling
container areas matching with the color of the container. So participants will know that
the red recycling container is on the red recycling container area, the green container is
on the green area and so on.
3. Some organizers may want to put the recycling tanks only in the middle position on
every vertices of the hexagon. It will simplify navigation on the hexagon.