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Frequently Asked Questions
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Eligibility
& Teams
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| 1. |
Q.
I have two teams. Does the $25 covers the registration for
both and the materials for both teams?
A. The registration cost is $25 per
school, not per team.
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| 2. |
Q.
I have two teams, and do each of the two teams have to have
their own advisors or can one advisor serve for both teams?
A. Two teams can have the same advisor
or two different advisors.
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| 3. |
Q.
Is there a restriction
on what grade the students in the group are from or can
students from ALL FOUR HS grade levels participate?
A.
All four high school
grade levels can participate.
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| 4. |
Q.
I know that only
3 students can come to the challenge, but can more than
three students work on the design with only 3 representing
the team at the actual competition?
A.
In response to your
question, the answer is yes! Students participating in this
competition can seek outside help/assistance from teachers,
parents, fellow students, etc. However, only the names registered
by the school and listed in the log book can participate
in the preliminary competition, oral presentation, log book
entries and final competition.
The
other students, who helped with the design, will not be
recognized at all and will not be allowed to participate
at the preliminaries or be in the room when their school
is competing. They will not be allowed on the playing field
for the final competition or in the work area. They will
not be allowed to have any contact with the team what so
ever. They will be requested to remain in the guest area
only. At the Orals presentations, only the team members
and their advisor will be allowed to participate. All entries
into the logbook need to be made by the registered members
only. Also, if this team happens to win any scholarship
money or company product will only be given to the registered
students.
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| 1. |
Q.
Where is the Lego
person located for the preliminary challenge?
A.
During
the preliminary challenge the Lego person will be located
on the wood block on the raised platform, very near where
the device starts to navigate the course - in front of the
mesh net.
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| 2. |
Q.
Are the Lego men
going to be placed randomly on their platforms, or are they
always facing a certain direction?
A.
The
Lego Men will always face a predetermined direction. (See
Diagram) The Lego People will be placed FACING in
the direction of the arrow and they will be placed PERPENDICULAR
to the arrow.
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| 1. |
Q.
Do you know if we
are able to purchase additional logbooks exactly like the
ones we received. I am trying to avoid a scenario where
my two winning groups have to copy their journals over again.
A.
Additional official
CDC logbooks (with emblem) will not be provided to teams
(this is mentioned in the guidelines).
The materials we provide including the logbooks should not
be used for interschool competition. However, if you would
like to order professional logbooks for other teams the
vendor information is provided in the guidelines as well.
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| 2. |
Q.
Are the Lego men
going to be placed randomly on their platforms, or are they
always facing a certain direction?
A.
The
Lego Men will always face a predetermined direction. (See
Diagram) The Lego People will be placed FACING in
the direction of the arrow and they will be placed PERPENDICULAR
to the arrow.
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| 3. |
Q.
Are the platforms
the
Lego men are attached
to (the Lego piece underneath them) glued to the course,
or is it possible to move their platform with them on it?
A.
The
Lego pieces placed underneath the Lego people are not glued
or attached to the platform in any way, they are simply
attached to the Lego people to add stability and prevent
them from knocking over easily.
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| 4. |
Q.
I know we cannot
push them throughout the whole course, but if a Lego man
fell out of the vehicle could we pick it up again? Or can
we push the Lego men a certain amount, then retrieve them
in some way?
A.
Teams
may pick up Lego People if they have fallen out of their
vehicle, but they will not receive points for "dragging"
Lego People to the finish line.
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| 1. |
Q.
We are having trouble
determining where the water level begins and ends. The diagrams
do not give specific height or depth measurements. Could
you please clarify that for us as soon as possible?
A.
There is some confusion
about the "water" level” and we will clarify
in the rules
and guidelines. We are merely simulating traversing
through “murky waters”, and that there isn't really
any water on the platform.
The water level
in this year's course is actually the base level of the
plywood that comprises the 'floor' of the course. We aren't
actually using water on the course; the base merely represents
the level where the 'murky waters' would be. When designing
your device to navigate the course, it is not necessary
to waterproof your design.
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| 2. |
Q.
Is the wood where
the mesh sits on angled or straight cut (as it hangs from
the top)?
A.
According to our engineers,
the edges that hold up the net are all straight, none of
them have been cut in any special way.
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| 3. |
Q.
Is there a specified
number of batteries we can use for our vehicle?
A.
All batteries or a portion
of them can be used in your vehicle, but you cannot use
more than what is provided in the kit.
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| 4. |
Q.
When we do the challenge
do we use our own Lego people or yours? I ask this because
students wanted to know if we could put magnets on them
to pick them up.
A:
You
must use our Lego people. Magnets on the Lego people cannot
be used because it will significantly change the Challenge.
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| 5. |
Q.
Would it be possible
to use servos with remote control to steer the robot. Is
it possible to use a wireless remote control from a toy
car or does it have to be built from the ground up?
A.
You will not be able
to use servos with the remote control or use a wireless
remote control from a toy car. Devices/items are not included
on our "allowable materials list".
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| 6. |
Q.
Are teams allowed
to use a Potentiometer as a switch in the challenge?
A.
Teams are not allowed
to use a Potentiometer as a switch. This device/item is
not included on our "Materials Allowed" list.
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| 7. |
Q:
- At
the competition, where is the operator allowed to walk?
Are they allowed to walk around the entire perimeter
of the course or just in a specific section?
- Is
the course boxed in or open on the sides?
- Would
it be possible for the vehicle to fall off of the course?
- Assuming
that we made it past the preliminary challenge, are
we allowed to change our vehicle to prepare for the
final challenge?
- Can
the control box be radio signaled or just wired?
A:
- The operator is allowed
to walk around the perimeter of the platform (course).
See Rules and Guidelines page 4 – rule #2.
- The course is open on
the sides. See photo on page 7.
- Regarding vehicle falling
off course, please see page 5 – rule #10. This
rule should have been included under the Preliminary
Challenge. An oversight on our part and other schools
will be contacted regarding this rule.
- Regarding changing vehicles,
it states in the guidelines on page 4 & 5 that “each
team may design a different device to compete in the
preliminary and final competition”.
- A radio signaled control
box is not permitted.
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| 8. |
Q.
Is there a limitation
on how we wire our (6) allotted 9V batteries. Is there a
voltage/current limitation (series and parallel)?
A.
The guidelines indicate
the voltage range of motors is 10 – 13volts. If a team
decides to use anything more than that, you could run the
risk of motor burn out and ultimately a loss for the team.
Discretion should be used.
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| 9. |
Q:
Must our design be waterproof even though the course does
not include actual water?
A:
No.
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| 10. |
Q: May we build a wireless
remote to control our vehicle?
A: No.
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| 11. |
Q: Are we allowed to use
a chip to make the remote controlled vehicle?
A: No.
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| 1. |
Q.
The
list of accepted materials says we can use modeling clay.
Does this include Play-do or Crayola Model Magic?
A.
You can use Play-Doh
or Crayola Model Magic. However, it is not recommended
because Play-Doh becomes rigid when left out of its container
exposed to the air for a day or more. This is a Quote
from the Play-Doh web site. "PLAY-DOH compound is
designed to use over and over again. If allowed to harden
(to preserve a creation) it will most likely crack. Look
for oven curable clay at your local craft stores to make
long lasting creations." However, the website also
states that if water is added it could be restored to
softness. - "Crayola® compound dries to a resilient
consistency within 24-36 hours, without kiln firing".
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| 2. |
Q.
On the materials
allowed list, it says "Wooden Dowels (square or round)
(< .5" dia)" are allowed. Does square mean
that it's basically, 0.5" extruded beams? And also,
are we allowed to cut/modify the wooden dowel in any way
we want?
A.
1) The maximum diameter
for round dowels is 0.5" and rectangular dowels can
be 0.5" x 0.5". 2) It's ok to cut the dowels,
but we must be able to identify them as such. Also, any
modifications of the dowels should be documented in your
log books.
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| 3. |
Q.
-
On
page 17, Fig 6: Specifications of Ramp A that is found
in the "Challenge" handout includes the
following:
Shelf
Liner (On top of Ramp A)
Company:
Real Organized
Name: Non-Adhesive Shelf Liner
Lowes Item # 37961
Lowes Item # 00-26344-02
I went to a Lowes store on Route 20 or 21 in Paterson
and was told the following: There is NO Lowes Item
#. The store did have three different model #'s and
it is 00-26394-02 (Black) or 00-26307-07 (Sand) or
00-26303-07 (White)
CAN WE
USE ANY OF THE THREE MODEL NUMBER LISTED ABOVE?
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THE ITEM IS NON-ADHESIVE SHELF LINER....HOW IS THIS
TO BE ATTACHED TO THE RAMP?
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Please see page 10 of the "Challenge" handout
includes the following:
In the
far left edge there are three dimensions provided.
The one in question is the 7.5" dimension.
As you build the course you will notice a different
dimension on page 16 that states 7". Does this
still count in the + or - 1/2" or was this just
an oversight?This will dictate the space between the
"Net Drop" and the "Two Sided Box."
A.
- Thank you for bringing
the error to our attention. The correct information
is as follows:
Duck Easy Liner
Solid Black
Item# 37961
Model#26394
Sand - 26307 and White - 26303 can also be used
- Since the liner does
not have adhesive, the best way to keep the liner in
place is to wrap it around and staple it on the back
of the ramp.
- Diagram on page 10 is
correct with 7.5”. We neglected to include the
thickness of the plywood in the figure on page 16 which
shows 7”.
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| 4. |
Q.
Can the tethered
control box be made of wood?
A.
Wood
is not an allowable material and cannot be used for the
control box.
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| 5. |
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Q.
Rules say
that foam is allowed, would it be ok to allow wheels
made entirely out of foam (see picture at right)?
A.
Yes,
we will allow the foam wheels.
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| 6. |
Q.
Are CD plugs permitted
as a material?
A.
No, they
are not included on our allowable list of materials.
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| 7. |
Q: Can we use metal ball
bearings or ball bearings of any material?
A: No, not on the approved
list of materials.
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| 8. |
Q: Are snap rings or external
retaining clips permitted, under the umbrella of washers?
A: No, they are not
permitted.
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| 9. |
Q.
Are teams allowed
to use a Potentiometer as a switch in the challenge?
A.
Teams are not allowed
to use a Potentiometer as a switch. This device/item is
not included on our "Materials Allowed" list.
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| 10. |
Q.
Can we use Legos
that are not included with the kit to build our robot and
can we use rubber tires that are from a toy car?
A.
You cannot use Legos
that are not provided in the kit; items not listed on the
materials list cannot be used on your vehicle. This includes
rubber tires from a toy car.
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| 11. |
Q.
Is fishing line
permitted, falling under the umbrella of "string and
thread"? Is spider wire permitted under the umbrella
of "wire?"
A.
No to both questions.
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