You’d think there’s only so many ways a robotic mouse can wreak havoc, but in its nearly 50-year history, competitors in Micromouse events have proven that assumption time and time again. In the video after the break [Veritasium] Micromouse takes us on an amazing journey through the development of racing robots.
Micromouse’s goal is simple: get to the destination square (center) in the shortest amount of time. Competitors are not allowed to update their vehicle program once the position has been announced at the start of the event. Over the years, there have been a number of inventions that seem obvious now but were brilliant at the time.
The most obvious first challenge is finding the center of the maze. In the year The simple wall “flood fill” algorithm developed into variations following the original event in 1977. At first, all robots stand still until someone helps them cut a 45° corner before turning a corner, and if the robot is narrow enough, they can move diagonally. The shortest route is not always the fastest, as cornering slows down a lot.
More speed is only good if you can control it, so many robots now include fans to absorb them, increasing drag. This allowed speeds of up to 7 m/s and cornering forces of up to 6 G. Even dust droplets can cause loss of control, so all competitors use tape to clean their tires before a race. Many winning runs are now under 10 seconds, requiring multiple design iterations to increase controllable speed and reduce weight.
All these innovations started as experiments, and the beauty of the microhouse lies in its accessibility. It doesn’t require a huge budget to get started, and the technical barrier to entry is lower than ever. We’ve looked at another Micromouse design before. We can’t get enough of tiny robots, even if they aren’t micromixes.
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