[Dprglist] November Competition 2017

[John Swindle]

Folks:
 
I enjoyed seeing the 6-can contest today, and seeing the work Carl and Ron are doing on the Challenge Level Line Following contest.
 
Carl explained that his simulation defines a single move from the entry-point of the square, to the exit-point of the square, or more correctly, either the exit point of the current square to the exit point of the next square, or the entry point of the current square to the entry point of the next square.
 
If that kind of movement of the robot is acceptable, then the robot (a real physical one) does not actually have to follow curvature of the line: It just has to move from entry points to exit points.
 
So, since the LF course layout is a fixed pattern until someone wins, what about just doing odometry or sonar/LIDAR to the room's walls (to correct the odometry, like what Neato does, ignoring obstacles and only looking at walls), and follow the fixed pattern of the course layout using corrected odometry?
 
Separately:
 
If the specific contest rules don't mention "self-contained", then does that mean the robot can use external resources? Or is there a set of global rules for all contests, covering things like self-containment?
 
And just a note: The first sentence of the LF rules state that there are three levels. Then the second sentence states that there are two levels (with a different name). (I do tech writing. I see these things. Especially when they are in adjacent sentences. Especially when they are the first two sentences that I read. Kinda like a JEDEC standard.) I suggest that the second sentence be deleted.
 
And another item: The first sentence says the robot follows a black line. I think the line color change tile was added after that first sentence was written. In any event, it's not always a black line.
 
Best to you all,
John Swindle
 



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