1. Can you explain the board setup for KIPR Open. Are the boards on the ground?
Yes, the board is set on the ground.
2. Are there overhead lights?
No. See updated rules.
3. Where can the ping pong balls be placed?
Any where on your side of the fence – meaning anywhere inside the net on your 10′ x 10′ half of the arena. In the starting boxes, on the robot, on your side, in the wild zone, and so on.
4. If we have a colored part on our robot which is designed NOT to confuse an opponent robot, but instead to allow one of our robots to track another of our robots, is this permitted?
Yes. The rule is not to prevent you from tracking, but to prevent you from creating similar game pieces, or trying to confuse an opponent by simulating any targets. As long as your targets do not look like the targets in the game, you will be fine.
5. Robot construction rule #7 states:“A team’s entry may not contain features (manipulators, protrusions or materials) that are designed to, or are deemed by the judges likely to, cause jamming or entanglement of a reasonably constructed opponent robot. Blocking and containing of opponent robots is allowed; strategies likely to entangle or damage opponents or the board or game pieces are not allowed.”

(a) Can you please precisely define “jamming or entanglement” and “blocking and containing”, and the difference between them, including examples?
(b) Is dropping a game piece on a robot in an attempt to confuse its navigation system considered “jamming or entanglement”?
(c) We are already aware that reasonably constructed aerial robots (including the AR.Drone) will lock propellers if anything contacts them until the Emergency Reset command is sent. As a consequence, it is not possible to jam or entangle the AR.Drone’s propellers. We therefore conclude that if we drop a game piece on an aerial robot in the hopes that its dead-reckoning will become confused, it it not illegal, since the AR.Drone is not being jammed or entangled; it is simply being blocked and contained.

A. Jamming or entanglement is an active effort to restrict movement i.e. with small pieces or string. Blocking and containing are passive i.e. you place your robot in the way of the opposing robot and they run in to you.
B. No, by why waste the scoring piece?
C. This is similar to part A. You are making an active effort to restrict their movement with small pieces, that you know will jam/bind the propeller and cause it to crash causing damage. So, if you do drop game pieces on opposing flying robots, it will be considered jamming or entangling.
6. If we push another team’s robot into the vertical projection of their red or blue target, are they disqualified as if they had intentionally driven into it?
Yes.
7. Can you please define “independent structure”? If we have two robots which are connected by a piece of string or a sheet of paper, are they one or two structures?
They are one structure, but it at any point the two robots become disconnected, and you exceed the four structure limit, you are immediately disqualified.
8. As stated in Scoring: General number 9, “Robots that start in the yellow dot target area are allowed to travel anywhere…” Does that mean those robots may drive around in the wild zone and number 8 does not apply to them.
No. The starting box is the 15″ x 24″ area on the game board, so robots starting there can not venture into the wild zone. Robots that start in the yellow dot box (which is another location to start), can venture any where, including the wild zone, but not into the restricted red and blue dot boxes.
9. The blue dot target area is borded by 2 inch PVC pipes but the 90 degree elbow connectors come in two types – drain or vent connectors. The drain connectors are a sweeping right angle, while the vent connectors are a more acute right angle. The drain connectors cost about $.80 each while the vent connectors cost about $2.50 each. Which ones will be used in the KIPR Open 2012?
It looks like we are using sweeping elbows. I believe that this is the exact piece we are using, if not it is very similar. http://www.lowes.com/pd_23354-1814-PVC%2B00300%2B%2B1200_4294765366_4294937087_?productId=3132777&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_DWV+Pipe+Fittings_4294765366_4294937087_?Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=&stop_mobi=yes
10. What is the floor of the wild zone like? carpet, tile, rough, smooth, light, dark? Is the black tape on the border discernible?
The floor is a smooth grey concrete. I believe that the tape will be discernible, but have not tested it.
11. Starting lights. Which kind, how many, and where?
Each side will be able to place one starting light with in reason. The cord will be taped to the floor, but the base will be positionable as the team wishes (with in reason, as cord length may be limited from the initial placement between the starting locations). The light is an unshielded 60W soft white light bulb. Be careful your robots don’t break the bulb and get electrocuted!