"Sip and Puff" Controlled Fishing Rod for Quadraplegics

SYSTEM DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

CONTEST AND VENUE INFORMATION (includes Casting Field Diagram)

CONTEST PROCEDURES AND RULES

WRITE UP REQUIREMENTS AND JUDGING (includes Grading Sheet)

CONTEST SCORING

SYSTEM DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:
Revision A:  Scoring metrics, fish weight change:  11/26/2005

1. You must design a device to cast and retrieve a conventional fishing lure using a casting rod, modified as necessary, or some other arrangement of your design.  If a conventional rod and reel is chosen, the total length from rod tip to lower end of the handle may not exceed 1.5 meters.  If a mechanism of your own devising is used, the distance from the center of rotation for any casting motion to the tip of the moving mechanism may not exceed 1.5 meters.  (The use of a conventional rod and reel is encouraged to make it easier for the "skilled mechanic or technician" to duplicate the device from your instructions.  More detailed sketches, drawings, and instructions will be required if you use a different casting design so be prepared to include them in your brief description if you do so.)
2. The device you design and build to cast the lure must be controlled by one person solely through inputs from "momentary-on" switches, which simulate sip-and-puff switches, or from potentiometers (variable resistors).  These must be located on a separate control box (console) which is linked to the casting device through an electrical cable.  The switches may be either two-position (on-off) or three-position (on-off-on) and the number of poles on each switch is not limited.  All switches must be "momentary" in nature such that they must be held in place for action to continue.  When all switches are released the mechanism must come to rest within 2 seconds and must remain at rest until a switch is activated.
3. No more than 5 electromagnetic devices (motors or solenoids) may be used to drive the device.  The organizing committee strongly recommends teams consider the use of a battery-powered drill as the primary power source for their design. Purchase of one of these typically provides a variable speed motor and gear-box with lots of torque, a means for limiting motor torque output, and a rechargeable battery with a charger, all for a reasonable cost, and it is easily available to our "skilled mechanic or technician".
4. No more than four single- or double-throw switches and no more than two potentiometers may be used on the control box. A separate “on-off” (power) switch may also be included on the box or on the device for safety and convenience.  This switch is not included in the switch limit on the control box.
5. There must be at least one commercial multi-pin connector (such as a DB-9, DB-15, or DB-25) in any wiring between the control box and the casting device so that the control box can easily be separated from the casting device.  All signals must pass through this connector.
6. The device must use fishing line with a test strength of 8 pounds (35.6 Newtons) or less.
7. The device must be powered from conventional batteries.  A battery purchased as a part of a rechargeable drill meets this requirement.  The maximum excitation (battery) voltage for this device is 24 Vdc.  The use of rechargeable batteries is encouraged.  If lead-acid batteries are used, they must be sealed “gel-cells” and must fit within the sizing box with the rest of the device prior to setup.  Teams must be prepared to show that a replacement battery for the one they are using can be purchased for $40 or under.
8. It must be possible to separate the battery from the casting device by means of a polarized commercial connector of appropriate power and voltage rating.  Batteries with specialized power connectors such as are found in rechargeable drills are acceptable if used in the drill.
9. The battery may be placed on the “dock” when running if desired, but all electrical connections must be well insulated and secure.  Proof of the correct wire gauge must be documented if the battery is mounted separately.
10. The control box may not contain any batteries or power sources.
11. Except for a rod and reel, if used, all other parts of the device must fit into a 400mm x 300mm x 300 mm box (inside dimensions).

CONTEST AND VENUE INFORMATION

1. The simulated lure will be a small sandbag, measuring approximately 40 x 60 mm, made of a tightly woven material and filled with either dry sand or other dry granular material.  The bag will have a small ring sewn to the approximate center of one of the shorter side seams so that it can be attached to the line with a standard fishing swivel or simple knot.  The bag may have a plastic bag liner if desired to prevent inner material loss.  The total weight of the simulated lure when completed will be 20 grams (+/- 1 gram).
2. The casting device with rod and reel included (if used) will be mounted for testing to a vertical support pole attached to a plywood platform simulating a dock.
3. The vertical support pole will be centered at a position 30 cm back from the pond edge and 30 cm left of the right edge of the dock.  The top of the pole will be 90cm + 1cm above the dock and it will be open, unthreaded, and uncapped.  Click here for the CASTING FIELD DIAGRAM.
4. The vertical support pole will be constructed from a standard 3/4" Schedule 40 steel pipe.  It will be anchored to the dock by a floor flange that is screwed down to the dock surface, or by other rigid connection.  (Check piping schedule sizes for exact pipe dimensions.  If only metric pipe sizes are available the outside diameter of the mounting pole may need to be machined onto an appropriately sized metric pipe.  If that is done the proper mounting diameter must be maintained for a distance of 25 cm down from the upper end of the pole.)
5. The casting device must be mountable and removable without damage to the pole.
6. The target for the casts will be placed between 6 and 10 meters from the pole and directly in front of a “dock”.   The exact placement of the target at any contest venue is the prerogative of the judges.  This exact distance will not be known until all the devices from all teams have been impounded.  Teams will not be allowed to measure the distance from the mounting pole to the target.

CONTEST PROCEDURES AND RULES

1. Click here for the most updated list of 2006 ASME Spring Student Conferences (formerly known as RSC's, where SDC contests will be held).
2. The judges will oversee the laying out of a contest venue which includes free access along the casting range and is free of obstructions for at least several meters beyond the maximum selected cast distance.
3. The judges will verify the location of the casting dock, the mounting, placement, and size of the support pole.
4. Inspection of the devices for conformance to size and battery power rules will take place immediately after check-in of the devices.  Once conformance to size and battery rules is established teams may assemble their devices.  Teams should not plan on having more than approximately 30 minutes to assemble, test, and/or modify their device.  During this assembly time teams may not cast with any lure or weight attached to the fishing line.
5. Following the assembly period teams will have a "peer review period". During this period design teams will review the devices of other teams and will have the opportunity to raise any questions about adherence to rules with the judges.  The judging team may also use this period to begin qualification inspections.
6. After the peer review period is over questions or complaints from any team about the design, construction, or operation of any other team's device will no longer be accepted by the judging team.  The judging team may then complete their qualification inspection of all devices.
7. Prior to setting the exact target distance for the competition judges will "impound" all devices to prevent any unfair advantage to teams competing later in the order of the trials.
8. After all devices have been inspected and impounded the judging team will place the target on the casting range.  The exact location is up to the judging team, but will be in the range of 6 to 10 meters from the vertical support pole.
9. The target will consist of a 20 cm diameter circle with a clearly marked center drawn on a 28 cm square piece of stiff paper or cardboard.  The target will be securely fastened to the floor ("simulated pond") and all edges taped down.
10. A carpeted surface is recommended (but not required) for the simulated pond to minimize sliding of the simulated lure over the floor.  (Or, an outdoor location might be an option, weather permitting.)
11. Teams will be assigned their order in the competition by a random process.
12. At the contest the judges will supply a "lure" as shown and specified above for each team to use in the casting trials when it is their turn to run.
13. When called to compete teams will have three minutes to do the following tasks.
     - Attach the previously assembled device with the rod and reel (if used) to the support pole on the dock,
     - Seat one team member in the chair on the dock ready to operate the device,
     - Make one practice cast and retraction, if desired
     - Make any consequent adjustments prior to the timed tests.  Adjustments to the device must  be completed within the three-minute time limit. Teams not meeting this time limit will be disqualified.
14. Once the device has been mounted on the support pole and an optional practice cast (and any consequent modifications or adjustments) have been completed neither the operator nor any other team member may touch the device.  The operator may touch only the control box.  A penalty of 500 cm will be assessed against any cast where the judges observe a violation of this rule.  A blatant or obviously intentional violation of this rule will result in disqualification.
15. Using the control box the seated contestant will operate the device to cast the simulated lure attempting to hit the target. Five trial casts will be made. The first four of these must be completed, including rewinding the line, and the fifth cast must be made (but not rewound) within a four minute time limit.
16. The device may not make use of laser sighting devices, or other sighting devices which could not be used by a quadriplegic to measure a distance to an imaginary target over water.
17. After the lure comes to rest following each cast the judges will mark the edge of the lure that is closest to the target center.  Colored "sticky" dots are suggested for markers.   Following clearance from the marking judge, the line must be rewound and the device must be reset to be ready for the start of the next cast.  The finger-tip controls must be used to initiate and control this rewinding and resetting.
18. After the fifth cast or after the last cast completed (including rewinding) within the four minute time limit, the judges will mark the closest point of the cast as before (which will be included in the scoring) and then will attach a 1.5 kg (3.3 lb.) weight to the swivel on the fishing line to simulate a hooked fish. The contestant must demonstrate the ability to reel in this "fish" and raise it off of the floor. One minute is allowed for the reeling in process, and will be separately timed.   The 1.5 kg weight will be a “sandbag” with an attached ring, similar to the lure, but bigger.
19. When all casts for one contestant are finished the judges will measure the accuracy of each cast using a tape measure to determine the distance, to within 1 cm, from the marked final lure edge positions to the center of the target.  The markers should then be removed before the next team competes.
20. If a lure is cast beyond the simulated pond and strikes an obstruction which stops it or changes its direction the distance recorded for the cast will be 500 cm.
21. The first four casts, markings, and rewinds must be completed and the fifth cast made within a 4-minute period.  A penalty score of 500 cm will be applied for any casts not completed within the allotted time.
22. A distance of 500 cm will be recorded for any casts not attempted or completed, regardless of the reasons for these unsuccessful casts.
23. If a team does not complete all of the casts allowed within the four minute time limit they will be permitted to make one additional cast so that the simulated fish may be attached for them to reel in.  That additional cast will be scored at the penalty distance of 500 cm as indicated above, not at the actual distance measured from the target.
24. Teams should be prepared to operate their devices in a room with a ceiling or overhead obstructions as low as 3.5 m (approximately 11.5 feet) if necessary.  A distance of 500 cm will be recorded for any cast if the lure hits the ceiling or any overhead obstruction. Two casts which hit the ceiling or overhead obstructions will disqualify a team.
25. If a supplied lure breaks or tears, timing of the run will stop while a replacement is affixed to the line, and the trials and the timing will resume once the replacement is attached.  
26. If a line breaks or becomes entangled during a rewind sequence so that an additional cast cannot be made, this will count as an unsuccessful cast and penalties will apply as if no cast were made on that attempt. The timing will stop, the team will then have a maximum of two minutes to untangle or repair the line, and a penalty distance of 5 cm per second will begin accruing immediately. When the team is ready to begin the next cast the timed trials will resume.  A team will be disqualified from the competition if it has more than two such unsuccessful casts.
    

WRITE UP REQUIREMENTS AND JUDGING

The fundamental standard against which your write-up will be judged is:  Could you or one of your friends take the write-up and, without any other help, build one of these devices for a quadriplegic friend?

1. The description is to be between 600 and1000 words in length and include a minimum of two graphics (JPG/JPEG only at resolution rate of 800 x 600 dpi or better).
2. Electronic submissions are required and must be sent to the designated judges in Adobe PDF format or in html format readable by a browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.
3. The write-up must be submitted to the appropriate judging team 14 days ahead of the beginning of the contest, The exact deadline for each contest will be set by the local Chief Judge and will be posted on the web site as soon as available.  Detailed instructions for write-up submissions will be posted on the web site for each regional contest no later than four weeks before the submission deadline. 
4. Teams not submitting a description will be permitted to compete, but of course will start with a score deficit.
5. The judging team will insure that the descriptions will not be available to other design teams before the start of the contest, and will not be available to teams at other regions where the contest has not yet been conducted.
6. Details on the grading of the write-up can be seen on the GRADING SHEET.
7. For teams in the United States, the language used in the write-up must be English.  Other languages may be appropriate for contests in other parts of the world, but the language used for the IMECE contest will be English, regardless of the native language of the competitors.
   

CONTEST SCORING
Revision A: Scoring metrics, fish weight change:  11/26/2005

1. For each cast, the “Single Cast” score (SCS) = the Distance, measured to the nearest cm, from the center of the target to the nearest point of the lure when it comes to rest.  If any part of the lure is covering the center of the target the SCS is zero.  If a cast is not completed in the allotted time the SCS will be 500.
2. The “Casting Score”  (CS) will be the sum of all five of the Single Cast scores.
3. The “Fish Retrieval Score (FRS) = (Retrieval time, sec  - 30)^2  / 3.  This gives the best score for a retrieval time of 30 seconds, and reaches 300 at the limits of the retrieval period.  If the retrieval is unsuccessful for any reason (including exceeding the 60 second limit) the FRS = 500.
4. The Write-up Score (WS) = 5 * (100 – Write-up Grade).
5. Penalty scores (PS) accrue for hitting the overhead obstructions or ceiling or for touching any part of the device except the control box during the run time
   
   The Final Contest Team Score =  CS  +  FRS  +  WS  + PS.  The MINIMUM score wins.