• What is it?

  Cube Quest is a new robotics contest created by the AHRC! Two autonomous robots (not radio controlled) start from their own goal area and roam a 6x6 foot field and attempt to move +1 red blocks back to their goal while avoiding the -1 blue blocks. The winner is determined by subtracting the -1 blue blocks in the goal from the +1 red total at the end of a 3 minute round. The winner moves up an elimination tree as in mini-sumo or combat robotics. Robots are also allowed to move blocks into or out of the opponents goal. ie: Stealing +1 red blocks from your opponents goal is allowed as is stuffing your opponents goal with -1 blue blocks. For more details see the rules.

• Contest Rules [PDF] [Word .doc] [OpenDocument .odt]
• Example schematic of a beacon detector (PDF) [Eagle]
• Beacon internals
• Demonstration video of Dale's Cube Quest bot in action

This is the paint used to paint the blocks. It's available at Ace hardware stores and Michaels craft stores. Colors are "Red Pepper" and "Patriotic Blue"

Here are the painted blocks on an 18% photographic gray card.

Polarized white light beacons

Playing Field

Bots eye view of the goal and beacon