What's the Micro Mouse Contest
The Micro Mouse Contest is a technological competition dedicated to the creation of an
automatic "machine" that could explore autonomously a labyrinth, reach its
centre and eventually find the shortest path between the start and the end.
The labyrinth's shape is square, with sides lengths of few meters and it's divided into
square cells long about 15 centimetres.
Each competitor must explain his project in about ten minutes.
First of all, the time is measured between the start and the first time the Mouse gets
to the centre. Then the competitor could decide either to let the Mouse get out of the
labyrinth starting from the centre and searching for the shortest path, or to repeat the
same path with increasing speeds.
A deeper analysis reveals how vaste is the project. It developes on various levels of
knowledge that must be studied and shared among the group participants. The Mouse should
move, so a mechanical structure and an electronic feeding are needed. The Mouse needs also
a sensors system to feel the labyrinth walls and to avoid them; some sensors systems are
available: ultrasounds, infrared rays, small cameras. The Mouse must have some kind of
artificial intelligence, a software that could manage the hardware motion following the
external perceptions, and could decide a movement direction choosing from various free ways.
A wheels rotation controller is needed: for moving, steering or braking control.
The fact is that the MicroMouse project is neither an easy nor a short enterprise.
The better way to apply to it is to form some research groups, each one dedicated to a
particular task with strict information sharing.
Micro Mouse at Padova
Also at Padova. Thanks to the Student Branch of Padova, a group of students has begun to
work on the Micro Mouse project. However, that group is actually dissolved (the members
took a degree) and now the mouse is released from masters.
The previous works has led to a machine built as a tracked vehicle, whose traction is
granted by two stepper motors. There is also a logic controller card and a lot of software
yet developed, in particular the "navigation" algorithm through the labyrinth.
If you're interested to building the mouse, please contact us at the following address
ieeesb@dei.unipd.it. We'll furnish further
informations on the done work and on the work still to do.
If the project will result in enough interest, we'll keep an organizatory meeting.
Useful links
Here you are some links to other sites regarding Micro Mouse Contests and project groups.
Micro Mouse
