Robot Sumo (Long!)

["Ivar Petersen" <ivar@morgan.com>]

One late night I turned on the TV and caught the tail end of a program which
showed to guys with remote control units controllong what looked like remote
controlled cars with spikes, levers and all sorts of things.  It was obviously
inspired by sumo but except for sitting there fascinated for 10 minutes
watching the fights go by I didn't have enough presence to video it or even to
register WHAT it was and where it ook place (Japanese TV tends to be very weird
in the hours after midnight).

Anyway, I recently came across these rules for "Robot Sumo" and thought I would
share them with you.  I guarantee that if I catch the program listing I'll
video tape it next time.  From an observers point of view it looked
entertaining, the "players" really have to try and simulate the balancing
timing issues that are so important in "real" sumo too.

--- Forwarded mail from bsmall@sfrsa.com

 Date: 	Tue, 7 Feb 1995 07:52:39 -0500
 From: archive-server@sfrsa.com
 To: <ivar>
 Subject: File sumo



All Japan Robot Sumo
Tournament Office in
Fuji Software, Inc.
2-13-18 Okamoto
Kamakura-shi  Kanagawa
247, Japan
Fax: 81-467-47-3955


Mr. Thomas Rowley
2540 Junction Ave.
San Jose, CA  95134
TEL: 408-954-9500
FAX: 408-954-9501


Sep. 23, 1993


Dear Mr. Thomas Rowley

Thank you for your fax of Sep. 22 1993.
Please receive our official rules of a Robot Sumo
competition that I have just sent to you today. I
hope your competition would be very successful.

Truly Yours,


Kohji Ohba
Robot Sumo Tournament Office


Rules for Sumo Matches


Section 1.     Definition of the Sumo Match

(Definition)

Article 1.     The match shall be fought by the
two teams (one team consisting of one robot with
two players, one of which is a leader), according
to these Rules for Sumo matches (hereafter called
"these Rules"), with each team's robot made by
each team (either a radio-controlled model or a
stand-alone model) 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

(Definition of Ring Area)

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

(Sumo Ring)

Article 3.
1.   The Ring shall be in circular shape with its
height being 5cm in its diameter 154cm (including
the outside of the line that divides the inside of
the Ring from its outside.)  The Ring shall be of
black hard rubber (made by Toyo Linoleum: long
vinyl sheet NC HR289) adhered on top of aluminum
plate.

2.   Shikiri lines (where robots stand at the
beginning of the match) are the two parallel lines
with 20cm distance between the lines, drawn in the
center of the ring.  The Shikiri lines are painted
in brown.  2cm wide and 20cm long.

3.   The Ring shall be marked by a white circular
line of 5cm thickness.  The Ring is within the
outside of this circular line.

(Space)

Article 4.     There should be the space of more
than 100cm wide outside the outer side of the
Ring.  This space can be of any colour except
white, and can be of any material or shape, as
long as the basic concept of these rules are
observed.

Section 3.     Requirements for Robots

(Specifications)

Article 5.
1.   A robot must be in such a size that it can be
put in a box of 20cm wide and 20 cm deep.  A robot
can be of any height.  A robot must not be in such
a design that its body will be 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.  Screws or nuts (each within one
cubic centimeter) falling off from a robot's body
shall not cause loss of a match.

2.   The weight of a robot must be under 3000 grams
including the attachments and parts, but excluding
the weight of a proportional system (hereafter
called "Prop") for radio controlled models.

3.   The radio frequencies for radio-controlled
robots must be either 27MHz (1-6 bands) or 40MHz
(61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 bands).  40 MHz (71-83
bands) cannot be used.

4.   The Prop must be one of Fubata's, JR's,
Sanwa's or Kondo Kagaku's.  Only one Prop can be
used for one robot.

5.   For stand-alone robots, any control
mechanisms can be employed,

6.   Stand-alone models must be so designed that a
robot starts operating five seconds after a start
switch (or any switch that invokes the operation
of a robot) is pressed.

7.   Microcomputers in a robot can be of any
manufacturers and any memory sizes can be chosen.

("Don'ts" in manufacturing a robot)

Article 6.

1.   Do not disturb your opponent's radio-control
by putting into a robot's body such devises as a
jamming device.

2.   Do not use parts that could break or damage
the Ring.

3.   Do not put into a robot's body devices that
can store liquid, powder, or air and throw it to
the opponent.

4.   Do not use any inflaming devices.

5.   Do not use devices that throw things at your
opponent.

6.   Do not stick a robot down into the Ring,
using sucking devices or glue.

Section 4.     How to Carry Sumo Matches

(How to Carry Sumo Matches)

Article 7.

1.   One match shall consist of 3 games.

2.   The team who received two "Yuhkoh" points
first, within the time limit, shall win the match.
When the time limit is reached, and one of the
teams has received only one Yuhkoh point, the team
with the one Yuhkoh point shall win.

3.   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.

However, the winner/loser of the match may be
decided by judges or by means of lots, or there
can be a rematch.

4.   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

(Start)

Article 8.     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:

1.   For radio-controlled robots, starting
operating a Prop when the chief judge announces
the start of a match.
2.   For stand-alone robots, be ready to press a
start switch.  Press the switch when the chief
judge announces the start of a match.  After 5
seconds, the robot starts operating, before which
players must clear out of the Ring Area.

(Stop, Resume)

Article 9.     The match stops and resumes when a
judge announces so.

(End)

Article 10.    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

(Time of Match)

Article 11.    One Match will be fought for 3
minutes, starting and ending by the chief judge's
announcements.  For stand-alone robots, the clock
shall start ticking 5 seconds after the start
switch is pressed.

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

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

1.   The time elapsed after the chief judge
announces Yuhkoh and before the match resumes.  30
seconds shall be the standard before the match
resumes.

2.   The time elapsed after a judge announces to
stop the match and before the match resumes.

Section 7.     Yuhkoh

(Yuhkoh)

Article 14.    One Yuhkoh point shall be given
when:

1.   You have legally forced the body of your
opponent's robot to touch the space outside the
Ring.

2.   A Yuhkoh point is also given in the following
cases:

(1)  Your opponent's robot has touched the space
outside the Ring, on its own reasons.

(2)  Either of the above takes place at the same
time that the End of the Match is announced.

3.   When a robot has fallen on the Ring or in
similar conditions.  Yuhkoh will not be counted
and the match continues.

4.   When judge's decision is called for to decide
the winner, the following points will be taken
into consideration:

(1)  Technical merits in movement and operation of
a robot.

(2)  Penalty points during the match.

(3)  Attitude of the players during the match.

5.   The match shall be stopped and a rematch
shall start when:

(1)  Both robots are in clinch and stop movement
for 30 seconds, or move in the same orbit for 30
seconds.

(2)  Both robots move or stop for 30 seconds
without touching each other.  If one robot stops
its movement for 30 seconds, he shall be
considered not having the will to fight, and the
opponent shall receive a Yuhkoh.

(3)  Both robots, at the same instance, touch the
space outside the Ring.

Section 8.     Violations

(Violations)

Article 15.    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, put voice device
in a robot, or write insulting words on the body
of a robot, for the same effect.

Article 17.    A player:

1.   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 the Ring means:

1.
(1)  A part of the player's body is in the Ring,
or

(2)  A player puts any mechanical kits into the
Ring to support his/her body.

2.   Performs the following deeds:

(1)  Demand to stop the match without appropriate
reasons.

(2)  Take more than 30 seconds before resuming the
match.

(3)  Start operating the robot before the chief
judge announces the start of the match (for stand-
alone robots).

(4)  Start operating the robot within 5 seconds
after the chief judge announces the start of the
match (for stand-alone robots).

(5)  Do or say that which should disgrace the
fairness of the match.

Section 9.     Penalties

(Penalties)

Article 18.    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 honoured with any
rights.

Article 19.    Each occasion of the violations
described in Article 17 shall be accumulated.  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

(Request to stop the match)

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

(Unable to continue the match)

Article 22.    When the game 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
game, or who requests to stop the game, shall be
declared as a loser.

(Time required to handle injury/accident)

Article 23.    Whether the game should continue in
case of injury or accident shall be decided by the
judges and the Committee members.  The decision
process shall take no longer than five minutes.

(Yuhkoh given to the player who cannot continue)

Article 24.    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

(Declaring Objections)

Article 25.    No objections shall be declared
against the judges' decisions.

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

Section 12.    Requirements for Identifications
for Robots

(Identifications for Robots)

Article 27.    Identifications for robots shall be
of red colour for the East players, blue for the
West.  Two seals for identification (2cm in
diameter) must be adhered to the body of a robot.

Section 13.    Miscellaneous

(Flexibility of Rules)

Article 28.    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.

(Change in Rules)

Article 29.    Any change to or obsolescence of
these rules shall be decided by the General
Committee Meeting based on the Sumo Match
Committee Rules.


May 26, 1993


---End of forwarded mail from bsmall@sfrsa.com

--

	-Ivar-