The 2023 RTMA Season is now open and rules are available on the download page!
Update 3/24/2023:
- Question and Answer sessions available on Zoom. Free and open to the public but you have to register.
REGISTER HERE for any of the 4 meetings (same Zoom session info)- March 28th at 3pm
- March 28th at 6pm
- April 4th at 3pm
- April 4th at 6pm
Update 2/8/2023:
- 5/6/2023 - University of Southern Maine - Gorham, Maine
- 5/13/2023 - Messalonskee Middle School - Oakland, Maine
- 5/20/2023 - Brewer High School - Brewer, Maine
Update 2/8/2023: The rates for 2023 are as follows:
- Register and pay (or PO) by 4/8/2023 and it is $40/student
- Register and pay on or after 4/9/2023 and it is $50/student (and you may or may not get t-shirts)
- As usual there is no charge for coaches and mentors
- The Online registration is now available. Online payment processing is still being worked on.
|
Update 4/5/2022: We often get asked "is this a leg or a wheel" for our walker robots. Here is my best answer (took many years, but finally came out in a way that we think is clear).
Imagine a "round" wheel as being an axle around which a hub rotates and has an infinite number of spokes attached. These spokes in essence create a wheel, even without a rim. Those spokes provide a smooth ride because the infinite spokes in affect create the rim. Now cut the number of spokes down to 1000 and you still have a "reasonably smooth" wheel because each degree of angle around the hub still has around 3 spokes. Now keep taking away the spokes until you only have 360, or 100, or 36. You haven't changed the principle, you've only changed the number of contact points with the ground as the hub rotates around the axle, with the spokes set so many degrees apart. And of course the ride gets bumpier. Now take it all the way down to just four or two spokes and you get a clomper or flopper. It is still getting all of its motion and power through a basic axle/hub/spokes setup. You can even take it down to a single spoke and the issue is the same. They are all still wheels, at least as far as the rules for the Robot Track Meet are concerned. Hope this helps. To be a leg, it needs to get it's power and motion in any OTHER way. Reciprocal motion is one of the most common. The power still comes from a motor, with an axle, but the power is TRANSFORMED. Usually into a linear or reciprocal motion that moves the robot. See Reciprocal motion |
|
Update 2/8/2022: FYI, the foam padding that we use in the Steeplechase event is Duck brand EasyLiner Select Grip White. Which can be found online or at local stores for about $10 for a 12" x 20' roll. It is non-adhesive and we use spray adhesive to put it onto the wood surface. Hope that helps.
The Robot Track Meets:
Learning into the future!
Overcome Engineering Challenges
Events such as the Slope Climber have students building robots that can navigate up steep slopes! Would you believe the world record is 82.5 degrees!
TEAM REGISTRATION Now Available. For 2022 we will be taking online and PO payments and will hold all Invoicing until the first of April, in case anything COVID throws another wrench in the works for this year's events. |
Not everything is robotics
Some challenges are done without robots, including the Bridge competition. This bridge is holding 200 pounds of weight and it still didn't collapse!
For 2022 we will be holding in person events if at all possible. If events are cancelled due to the COVID pandemic or other unforeseeable circumstances, we will turn to online events or smaller local events if that is allowed. If no options remain, we will refund registrations in full. |
Download this years Rule Book
Download the 2022 Robot Track Meet Associations' Official Description and Rule Book now and get your team started!
You can also get it off the "Downloads" page. |
Maine Robotics is done in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine