Min7 Micromouse Robot Solves Maze In 3.921 Seconds 58
An anonymous reader writes with this note about the winner of an annual Micromouse Robot Competition, writing
"The current champion is one Ng Bent Kiat, who works at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic focusing on embedded systems and robotics. His skill and knowledge in the field of robotics shows in his winning mouse robot called the Min7. Min7 is the first 4-wheeled robot Ng has created. It weighs just 90 grams and measures 10 x 7.5 x 2.5cm. It has a straight line speed of 3.5m/s and uses a 20MHz Hitachi 2633R processor for a brain. The Micromouse Robot Competition is a two-stage process. The robots first enter the maze and have a chance to map it out. They then get a second timed run where the object is to solve the maze as quickly as possible. Min7 managed to navigate the maze in just 3.921 seconds."
Compared to what? (Score:3, Insightful)
"just 3.921 seconds" is spectacularly meaningless if no indication of the size of the maze is given.
Re:Compared to what? (Score:4, Insightful)
And extra hard because the faster you go, the greater chance of something mechanical slipping and you'll be crashing into walls.
It's a 16x16 cell grid, and traversing it quickly means having to move accurately within the grid and hoping your tires don't slip and make you lose your place.
Oh yeah, you have to turn, too, and turning at speed is just as fun because you can easily lose your spot that way.
Of course, this mouse is (looking at the web page) probably the 15th or 16th generation robot he's built.
Re:Compared to what? (Score:4, Insightful)
It's extra meaningless since the robot was allowed to map out the maze ahead of time.
And the alternative? Introduce an element of blind luck to the competition?