Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 1 of 13

Mechatronics Trophy 2018

assignment description

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 2 of 13

Index

WIPE-OUT ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Assignment description..................................................................................................................... 3 Element descriptions ........................................................................................................................ 4

Robot ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Brush ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Contest area ................................................................................................................................. 5 External disturbances .................................................................................................................. 11

Time schedule ............................................................................................................................... 12 Concept presentation .................................................................................................................. 12 Robot presentation ..................................................................................................................... 12

Questions ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 3 of 13

The Sioux CCM Mechatronics Trophy contest for 2017-2018 will be another robot-race, this time called

WIPE-OUT. Each participating student team will design and build a robot that can autonomously travel

over glass surfaces at an angle of 45 °. These surfaces represent solar panels on a roof. The robot has

to go over the centre of each panel and navigate around a chimney and a skylight. The date of the

contest is Wednesday 6th of June 2018 during the Dutch Technology Week in Eindhoven (date to be

confirmed). As always the contest will take place on the Market in Eindhoven.

WIPE-OUT Solar panels are losing efficiency during their lifetime due to contamination; this causes a substantial

loss in efficiency and loss in revenues for owners of solar panels. For an average household with 12

solar panels this is a loss of energy of 200 kWh per year. Autonomous robots could be of help by

cleaning them with some water and a brush. Ideally these robots find the panels by themselves and

clean them by hopping from one panel to the other. Robots can be placed by drones at rooftops and

moved from one rooftop to another. Also the supply of

power and cleaning fluid can be realised with drones

or by passing by a supply station when moved from

one rooftop to another, or use the drone as a supply

station. Typical solutions put limits to size and weight

of a cleaning robot. This contest will be about how to

move and navigate with a cleaning robot over a

slippery (when wet) glass surface and how to move

from one solar panel to another around obstacles.

Assignment description Design and build a robot that is able to navigate over a flat panel which is at an angle of approximately

45°. The robot must move from its start position to the opposite end of the roof. Each solar panel on its

way has some dirt in the centre of the panel which must be removed using a brush and water. The

brush is a prescribed item and the robot must carry 1 litre of water which will be filled into the robot at

the start of a race. The robot which cleans fastest all panels wins a race. When not all panels are

cleaned in the maximum time (5 minutes) the robot which has cleaned most panels wins. The dirt on the

panel will be such that it can only be sufficiently removed with the brush and water, at least half the

amount of dirt must be removed to count as a cleaned panel. The robot must be working autonomously

when it is at the contest area. It is not allowed to “help” the robot while at the contest area. If the robot

gets stuck the teams are allowed to stop the robot and move the robot back to the start position from

which the robot can be restarted. During the competition up to 4 teams will compete against each other

on adjacent contest areas, see figure 2.

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 4 of 13

Figure 2: Impression of contest area

Element descriptions

Robot Height: max 0.3 m.

Width X Length: max 0.45 X 0.6 m when starting, this is allowed to extend during the competition.

The robot must function autonomously when it is in the contest area. Interaction with the robot is only

allowed before/during the (re)start. When the robot gets stuck in the contest area it is allowed to stop

the robot and move it back to the start location to restart. The robot must use the brush which is

supplied by Sioux CCM. Before the start the robot must be filled with one litre of water (the water

compartment can be a closed compartment). The water must be applied (used) in the 5 minutes of

competition. The robots must not cause safety risks for the audience.

The appearance of the robot must be professional; this means that a robot taped together from some

pieces of wood and cardboard will not be accepted. This will be one of the criteria at the concept

presentation, and can be ground for not accepting a concept.

A team name is required and must be clearly visible on the robot.

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 5 of 13

Brush The brush will be supplied by Sioux CCM and has to be used.

Rotation of the brush and water are required to make it work on the

stains we place on the solar panels. The water can be supplied form

a closed container on the robot. Specifications (link to brush)

• Material: Sponge, foam, wool (to be decided which)

• Diameter: 7.8 cm

Figure 3: Pictures of the brush

Attention: The main goal of the robot is to navigate around the solar panel. Cleaning the dirty spot is a way to

judge where the robot went. In the next 2 weeks we will test how to put dirt which is simply to remove

with a twisting brush and some water. Not using water will be too difficult. For this reason you need to

use the brush, delivered by Sioux CCM. You are only allowed to use one (1) brush, which must be

actuated.

It is not allowed to get rid of the dirt in any other way than using the one brush prescribed by Sioux

CCM.

We will test the brush in week 42 and publish more details afterwards.

Contest area The contest area is a surface at 45° made of multiplex with on top a sticker representing the solar panel.

Each team will receive such a sticker after their presentation at Sioux CCM. Separate panels are

realised by grooves in the panel. These grooves are available for the robot to navigate and move.

The following pictures show the dimensions which have to be taken into account.

Note: during the competition the surface of the solar panels will become wet which can reduce the

traction. Also the grooves are likely to damage to some extent and/or will contaminate during the

competition.

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 6 of 13

Figure 4: Impression of contest areas

Figure 5: overview contest track

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 7 of 13

Figure 6: size roof and position obstacles (example) The position of the obstacles (chimney and skylight/window) will not be announced before the

competition and can be changed during the competition (obstacles will be placed at same position for

competing teams). Chimney and skylight will never touch, not even at the point. The contamination will

be placed in the middle of each free panel.

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 8 of 13

Figure 7: start area and dirt positions

Figure 8: dimensions grooves and orientation roof

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 9 of 13

Figure 9: dimensions grooves and position on roof

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 10 of 13

Figure 10: dimensions chimney and skylight (window)

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 11 of 13

External disturbances Lights: Illumination of tent and flash lights from cameras.

Rain: the contest area will be inside but can be wet due to weather conditions outside.

Sunshine: the tent will not have walls around the contest area.

Public: standing close to the contest area, see figure 10.

Figure 11: Impression of the Sioux CCM Mechatronics Trophy S.A.F.E. 2017

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 12 of 13

Time schedule

Concept presentation The concept presentation is used as a go/no-go decision for the project. Sioux CCM must be convinced

that the project will result in a competitive robot by means of presenting the following:

- A concept with solutions for all functions.

- A professional design of the robot, no pieces of wood and cardboard taped together.

- A realistic planning with sufficient time for testing.

- A balanced budget.

- A team name, and clear contact information.

When the presentation is satisfactory the budget from Sioux CCM will be assigned. When the

presentation is unsatisfactory the budget is rejected. It is also possible to decide to give a provisional

go, extra actions and effort will be required to get the budget.

Robot presentation A working robot must be presented to Sioux CCM by means of a movie in April, these movies will be

shared on Facebook as well.

Oct 2017 v0.7 Page 13 of 13

Questions Questions can be sent to trofee@sioux.eu. This assignment can be found at the Sioux CCM website

www.sioux.eu/trophy2018. At this site the answers to the contest questions and additional information is

shared with the teams. There is also a Facebook page at which pictures and movies from the contests

of previous years can be found as well as some announcements with respect to the competition.