FAQ
From RoboticonWiki
General FAQ
What is Roboticon?
Roboticon is an event held each year by the School of Computer Science at the University of Guelph and the Society of Computing and Information Science (SOCIS). The event entails assembling teams from various high schools across Ontario and having them build robots out of Lego Mindstorms NXT to complete challenges and compete with one another. Roboticon is a fun event and well worth participating in.
Why should I come to Roboticon?
You should come to Roboticon because it's fun and a great learning experience. You can experiment with ideas and tools that are new and fascinating. There's really no reason not to come to Roboticon.
Can I have more than four students on a team?
Unfortunately there is a maximum of four students per team in order to make the contest as fair as possible.
What will this cost me?
Roboticon is 100% free for all participants, and we even provide you with meals and loan a kit to schools (by request, First come, first serve basis). Your only cost will be transportation to Roboticon and an overnight stay should you need to stay the night in Guelph.
Should I book accommodations now or when I get there?
Book now. The event is held during college royal which means there will be a lot of people looking for rooms in Guelph during that time.
What do I need to do to register?
Email roboticon@socis.cato register. We will need the following information:
Coach/Primary Contact and preferred email address.
School or Homeschool group you represent.
Team Name
Team member names. These can be filled in closer to the date of the competition as long as we have a final number about two week before the competition.
We will also need a list of any dietary restrictions your team members have.
If you wish to borrow a kit for the competition, we will also need an address to send it to of course!
What kit are we using?
Currently we are using the Lego Mindstorms NXT kits.
Is there a difference between the light sensor and the color sensor?
The color sensor can differentiate between actual hues, while the light sensor can only determine intensity. In order to make things as fair as possible, we typically only choose three colors: white, black, and a color that registers directly between the two in terms of intensity. This intensities is measured with a NXT light sensor held one cm from the surface in active mode.
How far is the greyhound bus stop from the competition?
Greyhound has a stop at the University Center loop which is on campus and quite convenient. If you take the train it will drop you downtown and its about a half an hour walk.
Challenge 1 FAQ
Is there a physical exit to the quarantine area?
The course will be completely enclosed.
Are there any restrictions to how the robot will be placed in the starting area?
Your robot may be placed in any fashion you wish within the first foot(lengthwise) of the course.
