Artbots

What are Art Bots?

Singing, dancing , painting, walking, posing, sculpting, drawing, and much much more... is what art comprises of . The beauty of art lies in the fact that it is limit less and simply put, art is the artist's imagination expressed through the senses. The term art bot would mean a robot that does art either by understanding the environment around itself or by being a magnificent tool in the hands of man. Techfest 2009 bring you the future of art itself with futuristic Donatello's, Da Vinci's and Beethoven's showing of their skills as the fight for greatness at Art bots.

1. Problem Statement

Construct an artbot that can be a device/machine/bot, having an artistic quotient in it.

Prizes worth INR 30,000 to be won.

View the Competitions Details »

Registration for Artbots has started. Click here to register.

To view the discussions on this competition, Click here

For further queries contact:

2.1 Judging Criteria

1. Innovation
2. Technical superiority

2.2 Video and Abstract Submission (Elimination round)

Participants have to submit a portfolio of their machine, consisting of a written abstract and a video of the working model before the competition. This portfolio will be used to shortlist teams for the competition. Only shortlisted teams will be eligible to participate in Artbots at Techfest 2009. For teams requiring accommodation, the last date of submitting the portfolio is 20th December 2008. For teams not requiring accommodation, the date is 31st December 2008.

• Written Abstract
  Abstract Format
  The written abstract should be prepared on the following lines:
  
  1. Explain briefly the idea of your project.
  2. Explain briefly how your project works? Please mention all the technicalities and functional analysis of the machine. (Diagrams, flowcharts etc. will be appreciated).
  3. What classifies them as ARTBOTS?
  4. Any other aspect/purpose of the project worth a mention (optional).
  
  Abstract Submisssion
  1. The abstract should be concise and to the point and should not exceed four A4 sheets of text typed with Times New Roman font of size 12 excluding the first sheet containing the title.
  2. The first sheet should only contain title of the project, team registration number, names of the team members and their respective institutes.
  3. The abstract may be supported by a maximum of five descriptive figures/graphs. Photographs are particularly welcome. Diagrams should be on additional sheets, which should not exceed five in number (photographic and graphic representation of the project is encouraged).
  4. The information in the abstract should be very descriptive and not vague. It is recommended that vital aspects of the project that require special focus be mentioned as points.
  5. This abstract can be attached as a PDF file to the video and a CD can be prepared; or the abstract can be submitted on paper. The CD and the papers have to be couriered in a single envelope to the postal address of Techfest 2009:
     Techfest 2009
     Students' Gymkhana
     IIT Bombay, Powai
     Mumbai - 400076.
  6. You can email the portfolio minus the video, and send the video by a CD. This will make sure at least the abstract part of your portfolio reaches us before the deadline.
  7. An email will be sent to the team leader confirming the reception of the entry.
  8. Each team is allowed to make one submission only. In case of multiple submissions, the first submission will only be used for judging purposes.
  9. Techfest 2009 is not responsible for any postal/courier delays, so participants are encouraged to send their entries well in advance to ensure receipt before the last date.
  
  
• Video
  
  1. The video should be at least 2 minutes unedited clip showing the machine and performing tasks.
  2. The clip should be preferably in AVI format. If any other unusual format is used, please attach appropriate video plug-ins to ensure that the organizers can run the video properly.
  3. The participant should describe/explain mechanism that makes the machine an "ARTBOT".
  
  

  All the portfolios will be used strictly for the elimination purposes. The elimination procedure will be subjective considering factors listed above. The evaluation of every participant will be published on the website. Techfest takes the responsibility that no information will be made available to any third party. The portfolio of your machine will be helpful everywhere in future as an evidence of your hard-work, along with determining your position for the competition. So please pay adequate attention to it.

  The portfolio is meant to assess the efforts put in by participants. Thus even if you are not able to meet the requirements asked in the portfolio, please send us the portfolios based on the current state of your machine before the deadline. That means even if your machine is incomplete, please send the portfolios anyway, in stead of not sending them or requesting permissions for sending them late.

View the Rules »

3.1 General Rules

1. Any team that is not ready at the time specified will be disqualified from the competition automatically.
2. The machine will be checked for its safety before the competition and will be discarded if found unsafe for other participants and spectators.
3. Only the participants who qualify in the video and abstract round based on judging of the abstracts shall be invited to IIT Bombay for the finals.
4. Qualifying participants will have to make a presentation before a panel of judges explaining the salient points of their Hardware.
5. On a single chart paper, the team should explain their hardware with figures, diagrams and relevant material. A detailed report of the hardware in support of the design and highlighting the important aspects should also be brought.
6. Teams will be given only one hour prior to the competition to set up their machine at the venue for judging.
7. Participants should submit their hardware, software and other requirements (if required) needed at the time of competition along with the abstract for the screening round.
8. Selected entries may be displayed in an exhibition at Techfest 2009.
9. Kindly mention if there are any Intellectual Property Rights issues related to your project.
10. Judges decision shall be treated as final and binding on all.
11. The organizers reserve the rights to change any or all of the above rules as they deem fit. Change in rules, if any will be highlighted on the website and notified to the registered participants.

3.2 Resources

Techfest would provide computers if and only if required. Participants are required to bring stuff like adapters, batteries, extension cords etc by themselves. Also, they must carry their CPU with the required software installed for design demonstrations (if required) as compatibility problems may arise at the last moment. Other necessary things like monitor, keyboard, mouse etc would be provided. All the participants should communicate these requirements along with the abstracts for the screening round.

3.3 Team Specifications

A team may consist of a maximum of 5 members. Students from different educational institutes can form a team.

3.4 Eligibility

All students with a valid identity card of their respective educational institutes are eligible to participate in Artbots at Techfest 2009.

3.5 Certificate Policy

1. Certificate of Excellence will be given to all the winners.
2. Certificates of Participation will be given to all the teams that are able to clear the video and abstract submission round at Techfest 2009.

3.6 Registration

Registration for Artbots has started. Click here to register.

View the Resources »

4.1 Resources

For reference visit:

1. www.homepage.mac.com/kingvolcano/Personal9.html
2. www.artbots.org/previous.shtml
3. www.artbots.org/2008/participants/Untitled
4. www.artbots.org/2005/participants/Weed
5. www.artbots.org/2005/participants/Outerspace
6. www.artbots.org/2005/participants/RibbonDancer
7. www.ltc.cit.cornell.edu/courses/ee476/FinalProjects/s2001/vp2

View the FAQs »

5.1 FAQs

1. Am I eligible to participate in Artbots?
   All students with a valid identity card of their respective educational institutes are eligible to participate in Artbots A team may consist of a maximum of 5 members. Students from different educational institutes can form a team.


2. How can I register for the competition?
   Registration Process in online in nature. To register click here.


3. Is there any registration fees for the competition?
   Techfest does not charge any registration fees to any of the student/participant.


4. What is the Last date of Registration?
   Last date for registration for participant who don't require accommodation at IIT Bombay is 30th December, 2008.
   Last date of registrations for the participants who wish to avail accommodation at IIT Bombay is 20th December, 2008.
   However Participants needs to submit portfolio containing written abstract and video.


5. What is the selection procedure?
   All the participants are supposed to send us their machine portfolios by xxx which includes written abstract and video explaining all details of the competition. For more details refer to section 2.2. Only the selected participants will be invited for the competition.


6. Can I use ready-made lego kits,vega kits to make my machine?
   Yes, participants can use ready-made kits. However, in some cases it may lead to penalty.