Specs:
Install on a RC car (Mayhem from Radio Shack) a device (or devices) to sense proximity of objects and uplink the proximity signal to a computer-controlled system that determines translation and rotation of the car. The sensor will be capable of resolving a minimum 40 cm distance at right angles to a solid wall. It will be able to be powered by a 9.6v battery. The sensor system will cost less than $100.

The uplink will be a 318Mhz Linx Technologies amplitude-modulated transmitter/receiver pair. The downlink control will be either 27 or 49MHz: standard frequencies for RC cars.

The controller will be able to stop the car from hitting a wall when the car is travelling straight at the wall at Mayhem's top speed of 300 m/minute. The sensors and controller will be able to prevent the car from striking the wall when attacking at an oblique angle of up to 30 degrees.

The senso(s)r must be able to detect the rear of another RC car, and be able to follow the leader car withing 40 cm for at least 30 seconds while the leader car is being driven at "slow" speed (approx 50 m/min).

The algorithm of the controller will be written in LabVIEW.