Maze Construction

This is a workbook documenting the design work for
the mouse maze used for the SciTech Spectacular at Carnegie Science Center

Design Workbook:

Robot Mouse Race:

Maze contruction:
    The maze needs to be adjustable to allow it to remain challenging by altering the maze path at anytime. There are a couple of options which we have so far to let us build something. We have to think on what other options there might be still.

Type 1:
    This type uses pegs (dowels), rubber bands and cardboard(white) to construct a maze. The outer walls of the maze are still soild wood and fixed. The walls are interconnected using the pegs with rubber bands wrapped around at the top and bottom. then the white cardoard is slipped down through the center. (click for larger view)


Type 2:
    This type uses pegs (dowels) also, wooden walls, and eyelets. The outer walls of the maze are still solid wood and fixed. The walls are intrconnected using the pegs to link the eyelets of the adjacent walls. (click for larger view)

Type 3:
    This type makes use of dowels again. The walls are made from wood still. The walls have a pair of holes drilled halfway in the bottom edge to allow the walls to slide over the pegs. The plywood which makes up the floor of the maze has a grid of holes, 2 per wall segment, which allow the pegs to be inserted with a degree of strength. The dowels are placed where there's a need for a wall. (click for larger view)

 

Type 4:
    This type makes use of bolts instead. The walls are made from wood still. The walls have a pair of holes drilled completely through the edge. This allows the walls to be mounted on the floor with bolts screwed into T-nut plates underneath. The plywood which makes up the floor of the maze has a grid of holes, 2 per wall segment. The T-nut plates are inserted by every hole. The length of the bolts need to be a little longer than the height of the wall.