Killswitch Rules 2024

RULES SANCTITY

The point of KILLSWITCH is to stage spectacular robot battles, not to identify and exploit loopholes in the rules. The spirit of the rules will be upheld at all times.

Looking for clarification on a rule? Raise any questions in the Knox Makers KILLSWITCH chat channel or direct them to the Board of Directors.

ENTRY

KILLSWITCH is open to both individual and team entries. Teams can be arbitrarily large.

KILLSWITCH is open to both Knox Makers members and non-members.

Individuals and teams may enter as many robots in the competition as desired. Each robot will be qualified and bracketed separately.

ROBOT SIZE

Before competing, every robot must fit within a box whose width, height, and depth total 24″ or less. They are allowed to unfold, unfurl, extend, or otherwise grow once the match begins, but must do so under their own power.

All robots must weigh three pounds or less.

MOBILITY

All robots must be mobile and their movement must be powered and under the control of an operator.

Allowed forms of mobility:

• Rolling (wheels, tracks or the whole robot)
• Walking
• Shuffling
• Slithering
• Gyroscopic procession
• Ground effect air cushions
• Jumping / hopping

Prohibited mobility forms:

• Flying
• Floating

REMOTE CONTROL

All of the robot’s functions must be under reliable remote control. Loss of control equates to loss of match.

Autonomous functions are permitted, but they must be able to be remotely disabled or overridden at any time via the remote control system. If autonomous systems are employed, an easily-visible indicator of autonomy is required. This will make it plain when the robot has been rendered "safe."

Remote control must be via commercially-produced wireless 2.4GHz systems with digitally-coded, mated pairs between transmitter and receiver.

Radio systems that stop all motion in the robot (both drive and weapons) when the transmitter loses power or signal are required for all robots. This may be inherent in the robot’s electrical system or be part of programmed failsafes in the radio.

BATTERIES

All electrical power to weapons and drive systems must have a manual disconnect that can be activated within fifteen seconds without endangering the person turning it off (e.g. no body parts in the way of weapons or pinch points). Relays may be used as a secondary power control, but a mechanical disconnect is still required.

Pre-approved battery types are:

• lithium ion (LIon)
• lithium polymer (LiP)
• lithium iron (LiFe)
• nickel metal hydride (NiMH)

Prohibited battery types are:

• nickel cadmium (NiCad)
• sealed lead acid (SLA) / gel cell

Other battery types are subject to approval.

All robots must incorporate an easily-visible indicator lamp that shows when main power is activated.

SPRINGS AND FLYWHEELS

Any springs or flywheels must be loaded and actuated remotely under the robot’s own power. They may not be loaded or in motion before a match begins or any time the robot is out of the arena or designated testing area.

All springs, flywheels, and similar kinetic energy storing devices must fail to a safe position on loss of radio contact or power.

PNEUMATICS

Pneumatic systems on board the robot must only employ disposable, commercially-available pressurized cartridges or cans (e.g., CO2 cartridges). It is not permissible to use fiber wound or other handmade pressure vessels.

All pneumatic systems must have a manual main shut off valve to isolate the rest of the system from the source tank. This valve must be easily accessed for robot deactivation and refilling.

All pneumatic systems must have a manual bleed valve downstream of the main shut off valve to depressurize the system. This bleed valve must be easily accessed for deactivation. This valve must be left open whenever the robot is not in the arena to ensure the system cannot operate accidentally.

It is required to be able to easily bleed all pressure in the robot before exiting the arena.

PROHIBITED TECHNOLOGIES

• hydraulics
• internal combustion engines

WEAPONS

Killswitch is all about spectacle. Robots are required to incorporate at least one independently-powered weapon designed to physically damage competitors as excitingly as possible. Robots without functional, effective weapons will not be allowed to compete. Specific notes regarding limitations and prohibitions follow.

Limited weapons

• Electrical weapons are prohibited unless they are capable of producing large, visible, high-voltage arcs.
• Fire-based weapons are permitted, but only propane and butane fuels are permitted. The ignition system must incorporate a remotely-operated shutoff allowing the operator to disable the system.

Prohibited weapons

• RF jamming or other approaches to interfering with or preventing control of competitors
• Light, smoke, or other systems intended to impair visibility of robots
• Magnetic or electromagnetic grapples, nets, tapes, strings, cables, and other entanglement weapons that stop combat
• Liquid or foams
• Powders, sand, ball bearings, glitter, and other forms of dry chaff
• Explosives such as gunpowder or cartridge primers

Prohibited strategies There are several well-known design patterns for fighting robots that are prohibited in KILLSWITCH. The rationale for these bans is to increase competition and make fights more exciting for spectators.

• Robots designed primarily break other robots’ contact with the ground by using an inclined plane to raise one side (“wedges”).
• Robots designed primarily to push other robots (“bulldozers”).

Note that these are prohibitions on designs and/or primary strategies. If your robot's weapon is disabled in combat, you should absolutely try to force your opponent into an arena hazard; you're just not allowed to employ that as a primary strategy.

As a general guideline, KILLSWITCH prohibits "passive aggressive" weapons and invisible attacks. If it will look awesome, it's probably allowed. Make an inquiry if you're uncertain.

ARENA

The arena is roughly six feet by ten feet, or sixty square feet.

The arena floor is made of metal and has both smooth and textured surfaces. The floor is substantially flat, but there are irregularities where floor sections mate.

The arena is enclosed in thick Lexan to protect competitors and audience members from shrapnel.

Four electromechanical hazards, designed to be capable of destroying competing robots, provide additional danger and excitement.

• the sledgehammer
• the pinball flippers
• the floor spikes
• the flamethrower

The hazards are controlled by members of the audience.

GAMEPLAY

Match Duration

A match is three minute minutes long.

After the first minute elapses, one of the arena hazards – selected at random – becomes active.

At the end of the second minute, another randomly-selected arena hazard is activated.

Match Frequency

Competitors will have a minimum of thirty minutes between any two matches. This time is intended for battery charging, maintenance, and repair. If a robot is unable to compete within five minutes of scheduled match time, the match is forfeited.

Grappling and Pinning

Robots may not win by grappling or pinning their opponents. Grappling and/or pinning is allowed for a maximum of fifteen seconds at a time. An attacker that does not stop a pin or lift when requested by a referee may be declared the match loser unless the two robots are stuck together.

When a pin is released, the attacker must move far enough away after releasing the opponent that the opponent has an opportunity to escape for the pin to be considered released.

Stuck or Entangled Robots

Matches will be paused to separate robots in the event that they become stuck together in the arena and cannot separate from each other after five seconds.

Neutral Area Restart

Before restarting a match that has been paused to release stuck robots, the robots may be driven to neutral areas of the arena if directed to do so by a referee.

Incapacitated Robots

If a robot does not appear to be able to move freely, the referee may stop the clock and ask that the robot perform a mobility test (drive in a straight line, drive in a figure eight) in order to prove that the robot is still able to compete effectively. If the robot fails the test, it is counted as incapacitated and has lost the match.

Forfeiting

At any time, a competitor can voluntarily forfeit a match. Under this circumstance, the opponent must cease attacking. This counts as a loss for the forfeiting robot and a win for the competitor.

Declaring the Winner

The goal of KILLSWITCH is to destroy your opponent spectacularly. The best case is one in which the other robot is in pieces and on fire. Things may not work out that way, however… so a robot will be declared the winner when

• the other robot is incapacitated or out of control
• the other player surrenders

If neither of these conditions are met, both robots lose. Remember: the goal isn't to survive, it's to kill.

Bracketing

Initially, all qualified competitors will be randomly seeded in the Warriors' Bracket.

Loser's Bracket

If time allows, a losers bracket will be established to provide extra battles for those able to fight. If it is deemed there is only time for the Warrior's bracket, the loser's bracket will be cancelled.

Upon suffering a loss in the Warrior's Bracket, robots that are still operable (or that can be made so) will be randomly seeded in the Losers' Bracket.

A loss in the Loser's Bracket means a robot is out of the competition.