MINDSTORMS NXT SUMO Competition Rules

Contestants may enter the MINDSTORMS NXT Sumo Competition on NXTLOG from Thursday November 1, 2007 to Saturday December 15, 2007. From December 15 to January 1, 2008 a select number of finalist robots will be constructed by the MINDSTORMS expert panel of judges. A private MINDSTORMS NXT Sumo match will be held to determine the winning robot. The winning robot will be announced on or around January 1, 2008.

Robot constraints:

All MINDSTORMS NXT Sumo robots must be constructed of 100% unmodified LEGO parts (no gluing, cutting, melting, or other modification or modified pieces are allowed). This rule applies to sensors and motors as well. There is no limit on the amount of LEGO, MINDSTORMS NXT sensors, motors, NXT programmable bricks, HiTechnic sensors, or Bluetooth communication. No home brewed sensors allowed.

All robots must fit within a 1’ by 1’ square frame (although they can have any flat orientation within that frame; in other words, the front of the robot could be diagonal within the frame if the rest of it fits in a 1’ by 1’ square frame).

A LEGO MINDSTORMS brick (NXT) must be onboard the robot.

There is no height limit.

Robot weight is not to exceed two (2) pounds.

NXTLOG Documentation:

All entries must be tagged "NXTLEGOSumo"

You must explain how the robot operates as a MINDSTORMS NXT Sumo robot in your NXTLOG documentation.

A LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT program (.rbt file) is required of all robots entered to qualify.

You may enter more than one robot.

You may enter a robot that was previously submitted to NXTLOG (just remember to add the tag, "NXTLEGOSumo")

All documentation (except video) must be posted on NXTLOG.

You must include the following in your MINDSTORMS NXT Sumo Competition entry on NXTLOG:

- Description - Careful, well-written explanation of how the robot was designed.
- Pictures - Clear, well lit pictures - (no blurry ones!)
- .rbt Program(s) - Annotations within the programs are a plus!
- (Optional but highly encouraged) LEGO Digital Designer File (LDD) - you cannot submit an LDD file only. Your LDD file must document some or all of your robotic entry.
- (Optional) Video - NXTLOG cannot host video at this time, but you may post a link to a video hosted on a personal website (no YouTube links)

The contest will be judged by the panel of MINDSTORMS Experts.

Finalists and winners will be highlighted on NXTLOG and MINDSTORMS.com news.

Go build, Contestants! You've got until Saturday December 15, 2007.

Good luck, and Play Well!