Contraptions

Contraptions this year will have two rounds. In the preliminary round, the participants are required to submit a detailed abstract of their contraption. The selected teams will come to Shaastra for the hands-on competition.

The Registration for the event has started.

Last Date for registration is 8th September.

This year, you have to make a contraption containing the following modules

Module 1: Ball Roller Coaster

In this module, you should make a rollercoaster for a ball to take it from one corner of the arena to the other. The points will be as follows:

Module 2: Unique Objects

In your contraption, you should make use of the following objects as creatively as possible

1. Bar Soap
2. Knife
3. Balloon
4. Sand
5. Pepsi Can

Module 3: Recurring Contraption

In 'Recurring Contraptions' your aim is to make a set of steps which will repeat min 3 times before proceeding to the next module. This module should contain a minimum of 4 steps

Module 4: Dominoes

This will be the final module of your contraption. You have to make a domino pattern, 1ft by 1ft in size, with not less than 30 dominoes.

Intermediate Steps

Steps which connect these modules will be considered as intermediate steps.

Roller Coaster

In the Module Roller Coaster you have to take a ball from one corner of the square arena to any other corner.The Ball has to be taken through a combination of 'steps' and the 'tricks'.

Specifications

Ball    -    The size of the ball of a standard Table Tennis ball. You can use a crazy ball or you can choose to make your own ball.

Classification of Tricks:

• Horizontal Jump - 2 Points per Inch

• Vertical Jump - 1 Point per inch

• Horizontal Loop - 3 Points per loop

• Vertical Loop -1 Point per inch of diameter.

• Crest and Trough -For transition from a trough to crest: 5 point per foot ( Min 1 foot necessary)

    Robustness bonus: 50 points if no interventions

Recurring Contraptions:

In 'Recurring Contraptions' your aim is to make a set of steps which will repeat min 3 times before proceeding to the next module.

If the module is completed the team will get points for

    Each step(15 Points) * (Number of times the step was performed OR 3 --- whichever is lower )

Explanation:

Intermediate step -> Module Starts ->

Step1 - Step2 - Step3 ---- Step N  -                                                     Repetition 1

Step1 - Step2 - Step3 ---- Step N  -                                                     Repetition 2

Step1 - Step2 - Step3 ---- Step N -                                                      Repetition 3

Step1 - Step2 - Step K - Intermediate Step -> Module Ends...

• You can exit through any step you want after completing 3 Repetitions.
• If you exit early or if your your module stops then you will get points for each step multiplied by how many times it was repeated.                          

Minimum number of steps                 :    4

Maximum number of steps                :  No limit

Points will be allotted as follows:

•  Each step * (Number of times the step was performed OR 3 --- whichever is lower)*15

•  Robustness Bonus 50 points if no interventions

   


Specific Things:

The five given things can be used in any module or as connecting steps.
A unique use will earn you points for 'Surprise element'.
Each thing can be used in only one step.

Number of things             :     5

In your contraption, you should make use of the following objects as creatively as possible

1. Bar soap
2. Knife
3. Balloon
4. Sand
5. Pepsi can

Points Split:

• 20pts for using 1 item

• Bonus aesthetic/creativity points for the whole module

• All the participating teams of Shaastra 2009 must submit a detailed abstract of their contraption describing the steps, details of each module and the domino pattern before 5^th September
• Selected teams will be informed before 10^th September.
• Maximum of 6 members in a team are allowed.
• All participants are requested to bring 6 copies of the properly printed write-ups of their contraption clearly mentioning the steps, and no of energy conversions
• The contraption must be safe to the satisfaction of the judges and coordinators.
• A space of 8ft X 8ft will be provided to each team.
• Only two Trials or Attempts are allowed.
• However, if the person takes the 2nd trial then the AVERAGE of the two is taken.
• Maximum of THREE interventions allowed in any Trial.
• Participants are allowed to skip maximum of three steps or skip to the next module in an intervention in any Trial.
• No alteration in contraption of any kind is allowed at any point of time.
• Judge's and the Coordinators decision shall be final and binding to all.
• Failing to start the contraption when asked to by the coordinators could lead to disqualification of the team for that trial.
• The total number of steps excluding the recurring contraption, and dominoes should not exceed 30 steps.
• Please do not hesitate to direct any kind of query regarding the problem statement or the rules of the event at contraptions@shaastra.org. This will ensure that there will not be any complaints on the day of the event.

Q. What do i have to bring? What all will be provided by the organizers?
A. Only the following items will be made available at the venue
* 220V AC supply
* Extension Chord

Q. From Where can we get more information on Contraptions?
A. Google! Search in youtube. There is no better way. take a look at the following videos....
Sample Contraption 1
Sample Contraption 2
Sample rollercoaster
Sample Dominoe

Q. What Should We detail in the abstract?
A. Your abstract should contain the complete details of how you are going to do each and every step, details of the rollercoaster like length, loops, jumps etc, the domino pattern you are using, and so on. You can use pictures, flow charts, etc to explain.

Q. In The rollercoaster module, once the ball looses all its energy, can we take it back up?
A. Yes, you can. But only through intermediate steps

Q. Will there be negative points for exceeding the number of steps?
A. Steps exceeding the maximum number of steps will not be counted and there will be negative points for each additional step.

Q. Should all the modules be present in the contraption or can we choose from the modules?
A. All the modules must be present in the contraption but they need not be in the same order as mentioned. But the contraption should end with the Dominoes Module.

Q. Can we make use of different size of balls,or we have to use the same ball size throughout?
A. You Can only use one ball of the specified dimension throughout the rollercoaster module.

contraptions@shaastra.org

Phone No:
Kedar Kulkarni - 9600151875