Demonstration

The task our cleaning robot must perform is to grab an empty soda can, and take it to a recycling area in the course. There is trash around the course that the robot must also pick up, with two different types: orange and blue golf balls, each having its respective dump. In its way, the robot must refuel in one of the stations, the stationary lights tell it which one of them. There are also two green landmarks in the course to help it orient itself. The tasks must be done in the least possible time.

The Course

The can is placed in a random position within two tiles from the robot’s center at its initial position, so it must find it, grab it and take it to the recycle area. However, the path to take isn’t always the same; the robot must first go to the stationary light in the center of the course. When it is in front of it, it breaks an IR beam and then one of the lateral stationary lights turns on. Which of the lights turns on is random.

The robot must then go to the refuel station corresponding to the stationary light that is on. Once it gets to the refuel station, it breaks another IR beam that sets the moving light to a certain angle. Again, this angle is random. The robot must place the can underneath this moving light. A penalty of +20 seconds is added to your time for each inch away from the light the can is dropped.

Three orange and two blue orange balls are set on random positions on the floor inside the course. The robot must collect at least two orange balls and bring them to their respective dump. Additional orange and blue balls collected earn a time bonus (-60 seconds for each extra orange ball and -120 seconds for each extra blue ball).

Simulated Trash

(Soda Can simulates large trash, orange golf balls simulate non-recyclable trash, and blue golf balls simulate recyclable trash)