Here is an easy to build, lightweight, folding LEGO Sumo Bot practice board. Note that this board is NOT suitable for competition because it does not meet the requirements for the board dimension in the rules and does not provide a drop from the edge of the board to the floor as seen in competition. However, it is super light, easy to carry in one arm and can fit in any car. It provides a great platform for testing your robot programming and sensors in preparation for a Sumo bot event.
Our first effort at testing a Sumo Bot was actually putting black electrical tape on a table for the robot to detect and stop and then turn around. We figured we could change the Light Sensor thresholds from Black to White before the competition. We quickly learned to be ready to catch the robot when it ran off the table! That got old quickly so we wanted a better solution. So we came up with a folding practice board described here.
Our first effort at testing a Sumo Bot was actually putting black electrical tape on a table for the robot to detect and stop and then turn around. We figured we could change the Light Sensor thresholds from Black to White before the competition. We quickly learned to be ready to catch the robot when it ran off the table! That got old quickly so we wanted a better solution. So we came up with a folding practice board described here.
Folding Sumo Bot Practice Board
The size and location of the starting boxes are the only items here that follow the official rules. But these are the most important requirements because they accurately define the only time in the match that you will know the location of both your robot and your opponent's robot.
The placement of the tape is not that critical. We start with a strip at the top and bottom of the center section, stopping at the fold line. Then we added the four angled pieces before finally added the lines on the left and right ends to finish up the frame. While it is not a circle, it still provides an effective test platform for the robot.
Sumo Bot Events
The events we attend follows the Watauga Sumo Bot rules as shared by Dr. Eric Marland at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The link below has information for their Sumo Bot program. Other events may follow different rules but most are similar.
Here is a link for the Watauga LEGO Sumo Bot Rules for 2019 (unchanged from 2018).
Note that many events also offer an "Open Category" that allows robots with non-LEGO components. I expect this practice board would be helpful for them as well.
Sumo Bot has a simple premise, after a 5 second delayed start, your robot leaves the 10" starting square and then works to push the other robot out of the Sumo Bot ring without your robot leaving first. The action is made more interested because the ring is generally elevated slightly from the floor and a robot is officially out of the ring when any part of the robot touches the floor. This includes parts that fall off of your robot (if a piece touches the floor, you are out).
Note there are some great instructions online for building a real Sumo bot ring, the kind you will need if you are going to host an actual LEGO Sumo Bot event (in fact you will probably need at least two or three boards to keep an event moving). But official boards require materials, tools and time to build them. In addition the boards are very large (77 cm across) and heavy, making it a hassle to move them from room to room let alone try to transport them.
Practice Board in the Pits
We take our practice board to the pits at events for use if the students need to test tweaks to the software or verify calibration of the light sensors. It also provides a great platform for demonstrating the robot's behavior or even doing some friendly scrimmages before the event starts. Most events include practice rounds but you must sign up for specific time slots.
Each spring, Triangle Math & Science Academy holds both a LEGO Sumo Bot and LEGO Line Follower event. I recommend these for students who want to improve their LEGO MINDSTORMS building and programming skills.
Both events are fun and each offer k-5th and k-8th brackets and each bracket has it's own competition ring (or line following field for the Line Follower). Typically they matches in both brackets at the same time. Below you can see one of our team members setting up for a run. Notice how the official Sumo Bot board is larger and is elevated from the floor.
Both events are fun and each offer k-5th and k-8th brackets and each bracket has it's own competition ring (or line following field for the Line Follower). Typically they matches in both brackets at the same time. Below you can see one of our team members setting up for a run. Notice how the official Sumo Bot board is larger and is elevated from the floor.
The team's game strategy was to quickly attack the opponent the only time they know where the other robot will be, just outside of the box at the the start of the match. Their robot starts on release of the touch sensor so they can start their program well before the match begins.
The robot drives out of the box backwards to have a smaller turn toward their opponent to reach the other robot more quickly. The referee tells the teams which direction to use to launch their robot to start the match. So the team used two touch sensors to allow them to start the robot in either direction and still make the proper turn toward their opponent. They were pleased with their strategy and named their robot "Tech Norris" in reference to Chuck Norris. Here is a compilation of all of their LEGO Sumo Bot runs for the day.
I hope this information helps you build a great practice board and get a chance to participate LEGO Sumo Bot event!
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