MicroMouse

MicroMouse Competition: 18–19 September 2026

Put your robotics and problem-solving skills to the test in the MicroMouse Competition, an autonomous robotics challenge where teams design and operate a robot that must navigate a 16×16 maze and reach the central goal in the shortest possible time.

The competition challenges participants in Embedded Systems, Robotics, Control Systems, Sensor Integration, Path Planning, and Real-Time Decision Making.

Competition Format:

Day 1 – Calibration & Preliminary Rounds

• Team check-in and robot unboxing
• Sensor calibration and maze inspection
• Official robot inspection and weigh-in
• Preliminary/qualifying rounds
• Top teams advance to Day 2

Day 2 – Finals

• Final calibration and inspection
• Semi-finals
• Grand Finals
• Technical presentations
• Awards and closing ceremony

Maze Specifications:

• 16 × 16 cells
• Cell size: 18 × 18 cm
• Wall height: 5 cm
• Wall thickness: 1.2 cm
• Goal: Central 2 × 2 cells
• Start: South-west corner

Robot Requirements:

• Maximum footprint: 16 × 16 cm
• Fully autonomous operation
• No remote control, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or external computation during runs
• Power source must be completely contained within the robot
• No combustion engines
• Robot must not jump, fly, climb walls, or damage the maze

Gameplay & Scoring:

• Each team gets 10 minutes of total arena time.
• Multiple runs are allowed within the allotted time.
• Exploration time counts towards the 10-minute limit.
• If the robot gets stuck or malfunctions, a Touch may be called and the robot is returned to the start with a penalty.
• The robot may retain its internally generated maze map between runs.

Score = T_run + (T_maze / 30) + P_touch

The best (lowest) successful Run Score determines the team's performance.

Fouls & Disqualification

Teams may be disqualified for:

• Altering or damaging the maze
• Interfering with other robots or timing equipment
• Using wireless communication to control or transmit routing information to the robot
• Violating robot specifications or autonomy requirements

Eligibility:

- Eligible: College Students and Freshers

Bring your best hardware, algorithms, and strategy. Can your Micromouse conquer the maze?