Hybrid Micro Mouse Challenge

Action Required: Complete Official RegistrationYour Devpost registration alone does not complete your official event registration.Please complete the Google Form and follow the payment instructions to confirm your participation.Official Registration & Payment Form: [ Google Form Link : https://forms.gle/LL6n1zyY7djqE8Z27 ]Please retain your registration and payment confirmation for reference. Micromouse Hybrid ChallengeBuild. Code. Navigate. Compete.About the CompetitionThe Micromouse Hybrid Challenge is a robotics competition that challenges participants to design, program, and operate an autonomous robot capable of completing two navigation challenges in one continuous run.The competition combines line tracking and maze solving, testing participants' robotics, embedded systems, sensor integration, programming, and problem-solving abilities.Participants must build or configure a robot that can navigate independently without human control during a run.Competition ObjectiveEach robot must complete two stages:Zone A — Line TrackingFollow a 3 cm-wide black line on a white floor.Checkpoint markers are used for restarts.Zone B — Maze SolvingEnter a walled maze with no guiding line.Navigate the maze and reach the designated goal.Use the information learned from previous runs to attempt faster runs when the robot retains its map.The winner is determined by the lowest final score, calculated as run time plus applicable penalties.Eligibility and Team FormationSchool EditionOpen to students currently enrolled in school, Grades 9–12.Teams can consist of a maximum of 5 students, including one designated Team Leader.Individual participation is permitted; individual participants cannot form teams at the venue.College EditionOpen to students currently enrolled in a recognized college or university.Teams can consist of a maximum of 5 students, including one designated Team Leader.Individual participation is permitted where the event registration process allows it. Participants cannot form teams at the venue.Requirements applicable to both editionsEach team registers exactly one robot.A student may belong to only one team.Participants must bring their own robots and components.Pre-built robots, chassis, and ready-made kits are allowed, provided participants write or configure the program that solves the course.Participants must be able to explain their robot's hardware, sensors, and software during inspection.Robot SpecificationsMaximum dimensions: 15 cm wide × 18 cm long.Maximum weight: 1,000 g.Controller: Any microcontroller or board, including Arduino, ESP32, or similar platforms.Permitted sensors: IR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and wheel encoders.Power: Onboard battery only. AA and NiMH packs are allowed. Lithium batteries are limited to 2S (8.4 V) and require a protection circuit or fuse.Battery safety: Batteries must be firmly secured. Lithium batteries may be charged only in the designated charging area with the responsible person present.Autonomy: Wired or wireless control links, remote control, and phone connections are prohibited during a run.Start mechanism: One start button or switch. The robot must wait at least 3 seconds after the button is pressed before moving.Competition FormatQualifierEach team receives 3 timed runs on the qualifier course.The team's best (lowest) final score is used.The top 6 teams advance to the Final.FinalEach finalist receives 3 timed runs on a new track layout.The best (lowest) final score from those runs counts.Between RunsTeams may use up to 3 minutes in the pit area to adjust code, sensor settings, or batteries.If the robot is powered off or reprogrammed, its stored map or memory is treated as lost.Time between runs is counted.Run ProcedureThe Team Leader places the robot at the Start Line, facing forward, and informs the judge that the team is ready.When the judge says “Go,” the Team Leader presses the start button once and steps back.The clock starts when any part of the robot crosses the Start Line.The clock stops when the robot's centre enters the Goal block.Each run has a maximum time limit of 10 minutes.A run that exceeds the limit or is ended early is recorded as Did Not Finish (DNF).Scoring and PenaltiesFinal Score = Run Time (seconds) + PenaltiesLower scores rank higher.Handling (+5 seconds): When the Team Leader touches the robot during a run. In Zone A, the robot is reset to its last checkpoint. In Zone B, it is reset to the maze entry cell, with its map retained.Leaving the line: If the robot is completely off the line in Zone A, it has 5 seconds to recover independently. After that, the situation counts as handling.Shortcutting: Skipping any part of the Zone A line counts as handling.Wall displacement (+3 seconds): Applied each time the robot pushes or drags a wall more than 1 cm out of place. Light wall contact is allowed.DNF: A run that times out or is ended early has no score. If all runs are DNF, ranking is based on progress through Zone A and then the maze.Tie-breakersIf teams have the same best final score, ties are resolved by:Fewer total penalties across all runs.Faster individual run.One head-to-head rerun, as decided by the judges.Robot InspectionEvery robot is inspected before the Qualifier for size, weight, battery safety, and prohibited equipment.Each team must submit a one-page design note showing:The robot's main components.The sensors used.A brief explanation of its line-following and maze-solving logic.Two student team members must answer 2–3 short questions from a judge about how the robot works. A robot that fails inspection may be repaired and re-inspected before its first run.️ Prohibited Equipment and ConductThe following are prohibited:Suction fans, adhesive or sticky wheels, or equipment that damages or marks the arena.Jamming, blinding, or interfering with other teams' sensors, including strong external IR or laser emitters.Launchers, flames, liquids, or other unsafe devices.Hard-coding the line path or maze layout into the robot's program.Remote control or human intervention to guide the robot during a run.Tampering with the arena or another team's robot, unsafe behaviour, or disrespect toward officials or other teams.AI tools may be used for learning and debugging, but every student must be able to explain how the submitted code works during inspection.Best Design AwardJudges may select a Best Design Award recipient based on the design notes and inspection interview. This award does not affect the race results.Communication and Event RulesOfficial communication is directed to Team Leaders and Mentors.Teams may not share code with other teams during the competition.Participants may ask organizers or judges for clarification about the rules and arena.Judges' decisions are final. Re-evaluation requests must be raised by the Team Leader to the head judge within 10 minutes of the team's final run period ending and before the next team starts.Organizers may change the rules or schedule for safety or fairness and will communicate changes to Team Leaders.Official RulebooksSchool Edition — Official RulebookCollege Edition — Official RulebookPlease read the applicable rulebook carefully before registering. Eligibility, robot specifications, safety requirements, competition procedures, scoring, and penalties will be governed by the respective edition's official rules.Get ready to engineer, experiment, and navigate your way to the goal!