Sumo Rules

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Name of Event: Sumo

Number of Robots per Event: Two

Length of Event: 3 minutes

Robot Weight Range: 0-3 kg (0-6.6 lbs)

Robot Dimensions: 20 cm long by 20 cm wide (7.87" x 7.87"), any height

Arena Specifications: 154 cm diameter ring, Vinyl flooring, cloth-reinforced, ferric underfloor, painted black with a white edge and red-brown start lines.

Robot Control Specifications: Autonomous or Remote-control (Autonomous compete against autonomous, R/C against R/C - they are separate classes and do not compete against each other.)

Entry Fee: free

Event Rules:

Section 1. Definition of the Sumo Match

Article 1. (Definition) The match shall be fought by the two teams (one team consisting of one robot with up to two players present, one of which is a leader), according to these Rules for Sumo match (hereafter called "these Rules"), with each team's robot made by each team (either remote controlled or autonomous) competing to get the effective points (hereafter called Yuhkoh), within the perimeter of the defined Sumo Ring. The judges will decide which team wins.

Section 2. Requirements for Ring Area

Article 2. (Definition of Ring Area) The Ring Area means the Sumo Ring and the space outside the Ring. Anywhere outside this Ring Area is called Outer Area.

Article 3. (Sumo Ring)

The Ring shall be in circular shape with a minimum height of 5 cm (about 2 inches) and its diameter 154 cm (just over 5 feet), including white edge marking. The Ring shall be of black hard rubber (made by Toyo Linoleum: long vinyl sheet NC #R289), or equivalent, adhered on top of aluminum plate.
Shikiri lines (where robots stand at the beginning of the match) are the two parallel lines with 20 cm (about 7 7/8 inch) distance between the lines, drawn in the center of the Ring. The Shikiri lines are painted in red-brown, 2 cm (just over 3/4 inch) wide and 20 cm (about 7 7/8 inch) long.
The Ring shall be marked by a white circular line 5 cm wide (about 2 inches). The Ring is within the outside of this circular line.
Article 4. (Space) There should be the space of more than 100 cm (about 39 inches) wide outside the Ring. This space can be of any color except white, and can be of any materials or shape, as long as the basic concept of these rules are observed.

Section 3. Requirements for Robots

Article 5. (Specifications)

A robot must be in such a size that it can be put in a box of 20 cm by 20 cm (about 7 7/8 inches square). A robot can be of any height. A robot must not be in such a design that its body will physically separated into pieces when a match starts. The robot with such a design shall lose the match. The design to stretch a robot's body or its parts shall be allowed, but must remain a single robot (no strings between two parts). All parts falling off from a robot's body, with a total mass of 10 or less grams (about 1/3 ounce), shall not cause the loss of match.
The mass of a robot must be 3000 grams (just over 6 1/2 pounds) or less, including the attachments and parts, but excluding the weight of any external remote control system (hereafter called "Remote control box"). This also excludes the tether and cable connectors of less than 10 grams (about 1/3 ounce) connector mass, for a remote control robot.
The radio frequencies for radio controlled robots must be either 27 MHZ (1-6 wide bands)(12 narrow bands are not allowed in the USA) or 75 MHZ (all bands) . 40 MHZ cannot be used in the United States.
The radio remote control box can be Futaba, JR, Sanwa (Airtronics), or Kondo Kagaku. Only one remote control box can be used for one robot. Any other method of Remote control is also allowed (such as infrared, sound, visible light, and etc.), but no power can be sent to the robot. A wire tether remote control box can not have any power sources within, but must derive any power it needs from the robot. Each robot can only be operated by one person. The operator can have an assistant to help out with the robot, however.
For autonomous robots, any type of internal control can be employed.
Autonomous robots must be so designed that a robot starts operating five seconds after a start switch is pressed, or any method that invokes the operation of a robot.
Microcomputers in a robot can be of any manufacturers and any memory sizes can be chosen.

Article 6. (Don'ts in manufacturing a robot)
Do not disturb your opponent's remote control by putting into a robot's body such devices that will intentionally interfere with control of the opponent's robot, such as a jamming device.
Do not use parts that could break or damage the Ring.
Do not put into a robot's body devices that can throw liquid or powder, at the opponent.
Do not use any inflaming devices.
Do not use devices that throw things at your opponent.
Do not stick a robot down onto the Ring, using sucking devices or glue. Sticking and sucking down is allowed only if the robot continues to move around the ring, and they leave no permanent marks.

Section 4. How to Carry Sumo Matches

Article 7. (How to Carry Sumo Matches)

One match shall consist of up to 3 bouts of a maximum of three minutes each.
A "Yuhkoh" point is awarded to the team that wins a bout. The team who received two "Yuhkoh" points first, within the time limit, shall win the match. If the time limit is reached, and one of the teams has received only one Yuhkoh point, the team with one Yuhkoh point shall win.
When the match is not won by either team within the time limit, the extended match shall be fought during which the team who receives the first Yuhkoh point shall win. When an Extended Match is called, the last bout will be fought for an extra three minutes, or the judges may decide to run a fourth bout. The winner of the match may be decided by judges (based on the judges' view of a robots and its team's performance), or by means of lots, or there can be a rematch.
One Yuhkoh point shall be given to the winner when the judges' decision was called for or lots were employed.

Section 5. Start, Stop, Resume, End a Match

Article 8. (Start) With the chief judge's instructions, the two teams bow in the Outer Ring and go into the Ring Area, place a robot on or behind the Shikiri line or the imaginary extended Shikiri line. (A robot or a part of a robot may not be placed beyond the Shikiri line toward the opponent.). A match starts with the following rules:

For remote controlled robots, start operating a remote control box when the a judge or referee announces the start of a bout.
For autonomous robots, be ready to press a start switch. Press the switch, or somehow indicate to the robot a start condition when the the judge or referee announces the start of the bout. The robot should start after 5 seconds, before which players must clear out of the Ring Area.

Article 9. (Stop, Resume) The bout stops and resumes when a judge or referee announces so.

Article 10. (End) The match ends when the chief judge announces so. The two teams bring the robots out of the Ring Area, and bow.

Section 6. Time of Match

Article 11 (Time of Match) One bout will be fought for 3 minutes, starting and ending by the a judge's or the referee's announcements. For autonomous robots, the clock shall start ticking 5 seconds after the start switch is pressed (or any other method of indicating a start condition).

Article 12. An extended match shall be for 3 minutes.

Article 13. The following are not included in the time of the Match:

The time elapsed after the chief judge announces Yuhkoh and before the match resumes. There will be a minimum of 30 seconds before the next match resumes. This is the time to change batteries, fix, and/or adjust the robot. Any parts that are exchanged must be exactly as the ones they replace, including batteries. No changes (no new batteries, no fixes and no adjustments) are allowed on a rematch.
The time elapsed after a judge announces to stop the match and before the match resumes.

Section 7. Yuhkoh

Article 14. (Yuhkoh) One Yuhkoh point shall be given when:

You have legally forced the body of your opponent's robot to touch the space outside the Ring.
A Yuhkoh point is also given in the following cases:
Your opponent's robot has touched the space outside the Ring, on its own reasons.
Either of the above takes place at the same time that the End of the Match is announced.
A Yuhkoh point will not be counted, and the bout will continue if a robot has fallen on the Ring or in a similar condition. However the fallen robot may be counted out if it cannot move in a reasonable length of time, as the robots must remain in motion to continue competing.
When the judges' decision is called for to decide the winner, the following points will be taken into considerations:
Technical merits in the robot's movement and operation of a robot
Penalty points during the match
Attitude of the players during the match
The match shall be stopped and a rematch shall start when:
Both robots are in clinch and stop movements for up to 30 seconds, or move in the same orbit for up to 30 seconds. A rematch can be called in less time, if the referee or judges can determine a clinch has occurred.
Both robots move for 30 seconds without touching each other. If one robot stops it's movement for up to 30 seconds, he shall be considered not having the will to fight, and the opponent shall receive a Yuhkoh. If a robot is obviously stopped, 5 seconds is all the time allowed.
Both robots, at the same instance, touch the space outside the Ring.

Section 8. Violations

Article 15. (Violations) If the players perform the deeds as described in Articles 6, 16, and 17, the players shall be declared as violating the rules.

Article 16. The player utters insulting words to the opponent or to the judges or puts voice devices in a robot or writes insulting words on the body of a robot, for the same effect.

Article 17. A player:

Enters into the Ring during the match, except when the player does so to bring the robot out of the Ring upon the chief judge's announcement of Yuhkoh or stopping the match. To enter into the Ring means:
A part of the player's body is in the Ring, or
A player puts anything into the Ring to support his/her body.
Performs the following deeds:
Demand to stop the match without appropriate reasons.
Takes more than 30 seconds before resuming the match, if told to return to competition in 30 seconds (the minimum).
Starts operating the robot before the a judge or referee announces the start of the match (for remote controlled robots).
Start operating the robot within 5 seconds after the a judge or referee announces the start of the match (for autonomous robots).
Does or says that which should disgrace the fairness of the match. A competitor can discuss fairness with the chief judge, but the chief judge's decision is binding and final.

Section 9. Penalties

Article 18. (Penalties) Those who violate the rules with the deeds described in Articles 6 and 16 shall lose the match. The judge shall give two Yuhkoh points to the opponent and order the violator to clear out. The violator is not honored with any rights.

Article 19. Each occasion of the violations described in Article 17 shall be accumulated. The first occasion will cause a warning. Two of these violations shall give one Yuhkoh to the opponent.

Article 20. The violations described in Article 17 shall be accumulated throughout one match.

Section 10. Injuries and Accidents during the Match

Article 21. (Request to stop the Match) A player can request to stop the match when he/she is injured or his/her robot had an accident and the match cannot continue.

Article 22. (Unable to continue the Match) When the match cannot continue due to player's injury or robot's accident, the player who is the cause of such injury or accident loses the match. When it is not clear which team is such a cause, the player who cannot continue the match, or who requests to stop the match, shall be declared as the loser. The chief judge has the ability to call a rematch, as well.

Article 23. (Time required to handle injury/accident) Whether the match should continue in case of injury or accident shall be decided by the chief judge. The decision process shall take no longer than five minutes.

Article 24. (Yuhkoh given to the player who cannot continue) The winner decided based on Article 22 shall gain two Yuhkoh points. The loser who already gained one Yuhkoh point is recorded as such. When the situation under Article 22 takes place during an extended match, the winner shall gain one Yuhkoh point.

Section 11. Declaring Objections

Article 25. (Declaring Objections) No objections shall be declared against the judges' decisions. However, the leader of a team may discuss fairness with the chief judge briefly. This must be done at the time that the problem occurs. The chief judge's decisions are binding and final. Once the competition continues, no more discussion of that problem is allowed.

Article 26. The lead player can declare objections to the Committee, if present, before the match is over, if there are any doubts in exercising these rules.

Section 12. Requirements for Robot Identification

Article 27. (Robot Identification) For purposes of identifying robots, competitors may be required to use red or blue color markers. Stickers, ribbons, or other identifying method must be used, if provided by the Tournament officials. They must be used as directed. For example: Two seals for identification (2 cm in diameter) might be required to be adhered to a body of a robot.

Section 13. Miscellaneous

Article 28. (Flexibility of Rules) As long as the concept and fundamentals of the rules are observed, the rules shall be so flexible that they will be able to encompass the changes in the number of players and of the contents of matches. Judges at the even will make these decisions.

Article 29. (Change in Rules) Any changes to or obsolescence of these rules shall be decided by The Northwest Robot Sumo Tournament Group.