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• Fights last a maximum of three minutes. Two-minute fights may be used if required.
   

• A robot is eliminated if it touches the bottom of the pit. The fight may resume if the robot bounces back into the arena having not touched the bottom of the pit.

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• The two contestants must make contact before a fight outcome can be determined. The fight will be reset if, for example, one robot falls into the pit before contact has been made.

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• If a robot is completely immobile, the referee will start a ten-second countdown. If the immobile robot cannot show any movement within the countdown, it loses the fight. The count is reset if the opponent contacts, or if movement is shown by, the immobile robot.

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• At any point in a fight after contact is made, a robot may “tap out”. This should be a clear and obvious attempt to surrender by the operator.

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• A clusterbot loses when all its parts have been eliminated.

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• If two robots fall into the pit simultaneously during the fight, and one can be clearly identified as the aggressor, then the aggressor is judged to have won. If an aggressor cannot be identified, the fight is reset.
   

• Countdown Skip – If one robot has been damaged to the point of clearly being totally inoperable and incapable of movement, the ten-count may be skipped, and KO considered from the instant of the hit. This may be invoked retroactively when the damaging robot falls into the pit as a result of the hit, or it drives into the pit during the ten-count.
   

• If a fight outcome is not reached by the end of the timer (three or two minutes), the winner is to be decided by the judges. There shall be a minimum of two neutral judges selected before each fight. Judges may also be responsible for invoking other rules.
   

 

Event Safety and Competitor Conduct

Lanyard Safety System – The EO may choose to enact the lanyard safety system at the event. This entails each competitor being given a lanyard with their name on it upon passing tech check. The lanyard must always be worn when at the arena (Violation – 1 Corner). Safety violations, as detailed below, will result in one or two corners being torn off the lanyard. If three corners are torn off, the competitor is disqualified.

When the arena doors are open, the transmitters must be placed atop the arena as per the arena marshal’s instructions.
(Violation – 1 Corner)

Spinning up or activating any weapons with the arena doors open is not permitted.
(Violation – 2 Corners)

Robots and their batteries must not be left unattended when charging.
(Violation – 1 Corner)

Angle grinders and other such unsafe tools may not be used within the venue.
(Violation – 1 Corner)

Drive systems and non-dangerous weaponry may be tested on the bench. Driving robots around on the floor is not permitted.
(Violation – 1 Corner)

Testing dangerous (spinning, projectile, high-pressure) weaponry outside a closed arena or test box is not permitted.
(Violation – 2 Corners)

Robots should only be handled or manipulated by their builders or select IBB staff.
(Violation – 1 Corner)

IBB staff reserve the right to remove corners for any reason justifiable from a safety standpoint not listed herein.

Builders must follow basic safety practices and wear PPE such as gloves and googles when operating power tools at the event. Soldering irons must not be left unattended whilst hot.
 

Any complaints about judges or their decisions are to be taken to the EO. Harassment of the judges or any other IBB staff will not be tolerated and may lead to your expulsion from the event.

The EO has the final say on all matters at the event. The instructionof the EO must be followed by all attendees of the event.

The EO retains the right to prevent any robot from competing if they are deemed to be unsafe or attempting to circumvent the rules herein.

All teams must be self-contained in terms of driver, transmitters, battery packs and battery chargers. Clusterbots may use drivers from other teams.

Suitable PPE must be always worn handling pressurised or projectile launching robots.

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