Opportunity brief
About the Opportunity
Complete Regsitration at : techfest.org/competitions/meshmerize
Meshmerize by Techfest, IIT Bombay is Asia's premier autonomous maze-solving robotics competition. The challenge requires teams to design and build an autonomous line-following bot capable of exploring a dynamic grid maze, discovering the optimal route, and retracing the shortest path in record time.
Meshmerize tests your skills in embedded systems, algorithm design (like Floodfill, Dijkstra's, or A* search), sensor calibration, and real-time execution. Conquer the regional Zonals to secure your spot at the Grand Finale hosted at the IIT Bombay campus during Techfest!
Round-Wise Structure
- Round 1: Regional Zonals (Offline at Zonal Centers)
- Format: On-site qualifying round across designated zonal cities (e.g., Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Jaipur, Bangalore, etc.).
- Task: The bot gets 5 minutes 30 seconds total to perform both a Dry Run (exploring the maze and mapping the shortest route to the end zone) and an Actual Run (retracing the stored shortest path from start to end as fast as possible).
- Evaluation: Points awarded for reaching checkpoints, completing the dry run, time bonuses on both runs, and using the optimal path.
- Outcome: The top teams from each zonal city qualify directly for the Grand Finale.
- Round 2: Grand Finale (IIT Bombay Campus)
- Format: On-site final round held during Techfest at IIT Bombay.
- Task: Finalists face an enlarged, highly complex arena featuring tighter grids, complex turns, and secret bonus checkpoints.
Key Bot Specifications & Rules
- Bot Dimensions: Must fit inside a box of 220 mm × 220 mm × 220 mm.
- Power & Drive: Onboard power supply only (Max potential difference: 24V DC).
- Control: Fully autonomous. No wireless transmission (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Laptops) allowed near the arena during the run.
- Indicator: Must feature a visible red LED that glows upon reaching the end zone.
- Restrictions: No readymade Lego kits allowed (readymade gear assemblies are permitted).
- Team Size: Maximum 4 members per team.