Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
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2398: Skills Criteria within Judged awards


JHAWK
19-Dec-2024

Hello,

Multiple judged awards reference skills in the award criteria. However, each of them uses slightly different wording, and I am wondering if this implies difference is the award criteria or if I'm looking to deeply into things.

This criteria for the Think award seems to make it very clear that running auton skills is a requirement to win the award; however, the latter point seems to state that a team should have a competent score. The Think award states the following. :

Participation in the Autonomous Coding Skills Challenge, with a score greater than zero Programming is effective at solving the game challenges for[...] Autonomous Coding Skills Challenge matches

  1. Are there any percentages or other cutoff judges should use when determining eligibility for the Think award? ie. Would it be permissible to give the Think award to a team ranked last place in auton skills (with a non-zero score) if they best met the other criteria?

Unlike in the Think award, the Amaze award does not specifically state that running skills is a requirement. The Amaze award states the following:

Robot performs at a high level in Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills at the event.

  1. Is it a requirement for teams to compete in both driving and auton skills to be eligible for the Amaze award?
  2. If it is a requirement, does the score have to be non-zero?
  3. Are there any percentages or other cutoff judges should use when determining eligibility for the Amaze award? ie. Would it be permissible to give the Amaze award to a team ranked last place in skills (with a non-zero score) if they best met the other criteria?

Unlike Amaze award, Excellence makes no reference to driving skills. The Excellence award states the following:

At the conclusion of the Robot Skills Challenge matches, be ranked in the top 40% of teams* at the event. At the conclusion of the Autonomous Coding Skills Challenge matches, be ranked in the top 40% of teams* at the event with a score above zero.

  1. Would it be permissible for the judges to give the Excellence award to a team who does not run driving skills if their auton skills alone places them in the top 40% of overall skills score?

The build award mentions on field performance; however, it doesn't explicitly mention skills. The Build award states the following:

Robot is reliable on the field and withstands the rigors of competition.

  1. Does the build award factor in skills performance or just qualification performance. ie. If a robot is not reliable in skills, would this count against them when compared to a robot that is reliable in skills?

Thank you for taking the time to read through these specific and intricate questions.

Answered by Competition Judging Committee
6-Jan-2025
  1. Are there any percentages or other cutoff judges should use when determining eligibility for the Think award? ie. Would it be permissible to give the Think award to a team ranked last place in auton skills (with a non-zero score) if they best met the other criteria?

Judges should always utilize common sense and their own judgment when deliberating awards. Considering the other criteria for the Think Award: A score that is "last place" that is only a few points off from the highest score may be a reasonable candidate for the award.

In another scenario, a team that scores a single point, while technically meeting that eligibility requirement, may not be a great candidate for the award, based on other team's relative performance as well as the other criteria for the award.

Unlike in the Think award, the Amaze award does not specifically state that running skills is a requirement. The Amaze award states the following: > Robot performs at a high level in Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills at the event.

  1. Is it a requirement for teams to compete in both driving and auton skills to be eligible for the Amaze award?
  2. If it is a requirement, does the score have to be non-zero?
  3. Are there any percentages or other cutoff judges should use when determining eligibility for the Amaze award? ie. Would it be permissible to give the Amaze award to a team ranked last place in skills (with a non-zero score) if they best met the other criteria?

"Robot performs at a high level in Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills at the event" should be interpreted to mean that a team should perform at a high level in both Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills at the event. It would seem to be impossible for a team to perform highly in either of these without doing them. It would also not be reasonable that a team with a score of zero in either category would be considered "high performing" at the event. Thus, both Driving Skills and Programming Skills scores are needed for the Amaze Award.

There are no percentages or cutoffs for eligibility for this award outside of what is written in the Guide to Judging.

Unlike Amaze award, Excellence makes no reference to driving skills. The Excellence award states the following: > At the conclusion of the Robot Skills Challenge matches, be ranked in the top 40% of teams* at the event. > At the conclusion of the Autonomous Coding Skills Challenge matches, be ranked in the top 40% of teams* at the event with a score above zero. 5. Would it be permissible for the judges to give the Excellence award to a team who does not run driving skills if their auton skills alone places them in the top 40% of overall skills score?

Yes - if the team's Autonomous Coding Skills scores are so high, they are in the top 40% in overall Skills scores with Autonomous Coding Skills alone, they would be eligible for Excellence

The build award mentions on field performance; however, it doesn't explicitly mention skills. The Build award states the following: > Robot is reliable on the field and withstands the rigors of competition.

  1. Does the build award factor in skills performance or just qualification performance. ie. If a robot is not reliable in skills, would this count against them when compared to a robot that is reliable in skills?

The Build Award does not factor in skills scores, or match scores. "Reliability" should relate to the physical construction of the robot rather than scoring consistency.

Thank you for taking the time to read through these specific and intricate questions.

You are welcome!