27th. ANNUAL YUBA COLLEGE
PURPOSE: To design and build an alteration to a computer mouse that
will move the mouse with the energy stored in up to five standard cocked
mousetraps. The mouse will compete in a speed race over a 15-foot course over
a level floor. EVENT: The event will take place on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at 2:30 PM
in room 713 (or alternative room if necessary for crowd control) on the
Marysville Campus. GROUPS: Each E4 student must enter a vehicle, but may work in groups. Groups may include any number of members
from outside the E4 class, but no more than 2 people from the E4 class. If the group includes two from E4, two vehicles must be entered. Entries
from groups not affiliated with this class are also welcome. We expect stiff competition from MESA! SCORING: Based on performance and placing in the contest. Special bonus
points for aesthetics, clever design, beauty, using the mouse ball as the power
wheel, hiding wheels/traps so that they are not seen, unusual/innovative
methods, wheelies, smoking tires, blazing speed, humor, or other distinguishing
characteristics.
PREVIOUS WORLD RECORDS (short 2.5-meter course): Yuba College Student Record, Yuba College MESA Record and World Unlimited Record:
Quynh Dang 1.03 seconds, in 2002. Since the long course has never been used before, the winner this year will hold the World Record!
RULES:
Vehicle Configuration - The intent is that the mouse looks like a powered
mouse not like a mouse riding on a vehicle. The insides of the mouse may be
removed, but the case, both top and bottom and the buttons must be substantially
unaltered. Small holes can be cut to allow wheels or the mousetrap mechanism to
pass through the case. It is not required that your mouse-vehicle be a
conventional "car" with wheels; It could fly, walk, hop, etc. Aerodynamic
surfaces are allowed. The size restriction is simple: Your vehicle, ready to race must fit entirely in a box 8.0 inches long by 5.0 inches high by 5.0 inches wide. If the vehicle has a flexible "tail" (for instance, if made from the mouse cord) it can be coiled up to fit in the box. When your vehicle is at the start line, nothing (except the cord, the "tail", if you use one) may extend beyond the theoretical 8x5x5 "box".
Power - Up to five of standard-size mousetraps ("Victor", "McGill" or
equivalent) may be used, but the springs must fit inside the mouse and they must
travel with the vehicle. The traps must be the sole form of power. No human
push, no rubber bands, no chemical or compressed gas rockets, etc. However, energy stored in the traps may be transferred to any other form of energy once you release your vehicle (for instance, the trap could spin a flywheel or it could stretch a rubber band after the start). The trap(s)
can be stripped of all parts (the wood, latch, etc.) to fit them inside the
mouse. Only springs from actual standard mousetraps may be used. While the
spring(s) must be inside the mouse, the bale ("power arm") of the trap may be
outside the mouse. The bale and any extensions to it must conform to the size ("box")
rules. General - The course will be laid out on a smooth horizontal floor. A
vehicle must be released from a location so that it is entirely behind the start
line, and is considered past the finish line only when all parts of the vehicle
are past the 15-foot distance. Any parts or debris discarded during a race or
left detached from the vehicle are still considered part of the vehicle. The
owner may release his/her own vehicle, but must not give it any extra push. The
official judge will decide any controversies. Call Steve Klein, 741-6911, for
more information.
For more information on the past contests, see: http://ms.yccd.edu/mousetrap/mouse2001/
and
http://ms.yccd.edu/mousetrap/mouse2002/
NOTE: the rules for 2006 are slightly different than in the past. In particular, the size requirement has been clarified. So if you look at old contests for ideas, bear in mind that some of the 2001/2002 vehicles would not conform to the rules for this year. Quynh Dang's world record vehicle is an example of a vehicle that is believed to conform to the current rules.