One effective way to utilize robots is to engage them in dangerous situations. Many countries have several mining communities with mining activities happening all year long. Accidents may or do occur in mines leading to trapped miners or and valuable items that will have to be rescued from being damaged or destroyed. This competition mirrors a real life-threatening situation where “victims or valuable items” are situated in a mine tunnel.
With the clock ticking, each team’s robot competes by demonstrating the best robot design and programming to rake in the points in the shortest possible time by following a winding line on a field course to find the victim. Traversing the course, the robot will encounter short-cut opportunities and at the same time obstacles that will challenge the most adroit programmer. The victim(s) or valuable items represented with constructed Lego parts are to be rescued into the Designated Station and then the robot must return to Safe Zone, SZ (Rescue End Tile). At the safe zone, the robot must stop while facing the required orientation.