2026 Challenge: Questions and Answers
Below you'll find a list of questions that have been asked about the 2026 Challenge. Click the question to reveal each answer.
No restriction.
No restriction.
The blocks came with the kit provided. They are roughly 1cm cubed
No, a coloured path cannot be added on the floor for the robot to follow. However, the black tape border around the circumference could be used to help orient the robot on the floor.
The label should be on the floor of the bins, not on the wall facing the robot as specified in the challenge. You can choose any colour(s) you would like to label the bins or colour the bin floors fully.
Yes, "shooting" the cubes into the bins will be permitted as long as it is deemed safe and reasonable. We do not want cubes being launched uncontrollably, which could become dangerous. The cubes should not be projected beyond your table limits which the factory floor is set upon.
The pdf diagrams (links below) should have been included within the package, and are now on the website on the Rules and Criteria page.
The bins should be constructed as accurate as possible as stated in Rule #3
"Teams must purchase their own sheet of white Bristol and foam board to construct the factory floor and collection bins as accurately as possible following the drawings provided (see attached PDF appendices.) The factory floor and collection bins must be constructed within +/- 1/8” (+/- 3mm) accuracy or else it will not be permitted; an alternate court within tolerance may be supplied by OIYRC if available. Assume the foam board has ¼” thickness."
If your bins are larger than the specifications (giving an unfair advantage), we may have to swap out the bins for ones that are created as specified. Note, the colour labelling of the floors may be different if provided with an alternate.
All teams should ensure careful construction of the bins and factory floor as specified.
Answer: Yes, you are allowed to have part of your robot (drive train and subsystems) outside of the field before starting operation. All the blocks will be scattered within the field.
Teams cannot strategically scatter the blocks on the floor to make the task easier; it must be random. Thus, you cannot "clump" them to one area, organize them in neat rows, scatter certain colours to one area and other colours to another, avoid cubes against the sorting bin walls, etc.
As per the challenge rules & criteria "Before the start of the operation, 36 coloured (9 red, 9 green, 9 blue, 6 yellow and 3 yellow/green/red) manufactured blocks will be randomly scattered over a factory floor". Therefore, mix all cubes in your hands, and randomly "sprinkle" them over the entire surface of the factory floor.
Teams may tape down the Bristol board to your table provided by the OIYRC at Goff Hall as depicted within the "Challenge Rules" document.
If you wish to tape it down to another surface (e.g., a sheet of plywood) so that it can be transported, this would be acceptable. The other surface (i.e., plywood) would have thickness so it would create a "bump" which may interfere with driving robots. Thus, I would use a surface (plywood) with extra length and width extending beyond the boundary of the factory floor if your robot is going to be driving outside of the factory floor area to give yourself enough room to make turns, etc. without needing to drive over the bump created by the plywood. Thus, there would be no difference (advantage/disadvantage) to teams taping the factory floor to the table or to another surface. But you would not be allowed to use the bump/edge of the plywood to help guide the robot. Hopefully, this makes sense. Let me know if you have any further questions.
