Micromouse
Micromouse competitions involve small robotic mice navigating mazes autonomously worldwide, with variations like Half-Size Micromouse. Top builders achieve impressive speeds, with Ng Beng Kiat holding the current world record. Recent advancements include equipping robots with fans for enhanced performance.
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Micromouse is a competitive event where small robotic mice navigate a 16x16 maze autonomously. The mice must map the maze, detect walls, and find the optimal route to the center. Competitions are held globally, with notable popularity in the UK, U.S., Japan, and other countries. A variation called Half-Size Micromouse features a 32x32 maze with reduced dimensions, offering a new challenge. Mice in competitions utilize navigation elements like mapping and planning, employing search algorithms for maze-solving. Top builders like Yusuke Kato and Ng Beng Kiat have achieved impressive speeds, with the current world record held by Ng Beng Kiat at 3.921 seconds. Recent advancements include equipping robots with fans for improved performance, allowing for higher accelerations and faster speeds. Micromice are considered among the most high-performing autonomous robots, showcasing significant improvements in recent years.
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11 commentsMicromouse is one of the categories. It is pretty difficult to do with LEGO, we've tried and always failed. The main problem is that the stepper motors are not precise enough to turn 90 degrees and the error accumulates. We've even tried using a LEGO magnetometer, but it wasn't precise enough.
The other categories are easier in my opinion:
- Pathfinder: The robot has to follow a drawn line. The line is interrupted in some places, there is a tunnel and there can be obstacles -> in case of obstacles the robot needs to leave the line, avoid the obstacle and find the line again.
- Sumo: Two robots start in a drawn circle, once one of them leaves the circle the other one wins. There is a limit on mass and dimensions.
(There are some new categories as well, but I have never competed in/watched those.)
The competition is pretty great at engaging young kids in programming.
Sounds a fun competition :) Looking at the Veritasium video they're crazy fast.
Unfortunately can't find a picture of one in Google images
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