sensors are used to tell the distance between the robot and an object. Programming language The official programming language used in Botball from 1997 to 2008 was Interactive C. KISS-C is the official programming language used in Botball 2009 to 2011. KISS IDE is the official programming environment used in Botball from Fall of 2011–2016. KISS IDE supports C, C++, Java, and Python. Rules Robot construction Robots can only be constructed of the parts included in the kit. A maximum of 93 square inches of paper (which must be 20-pound paper or less) may be used. The paper used must be black or white. String may be used in the construction of the robot; up to 36 inches may be used. Ten #19 rubber bands can be used. The metal parts included in the kit cannot be broken into smaller pieces. Of the metal parts, only the flat bars and plates may be bent. The only removable parts on the iRobot Create are the rear wheel, the drive wheel clips, and the rear cargo bay wall. Any other parts cannot be removed or disassembled. The area the robots start in varies by year. In 2010 the starting area is 22 by 31.5 by 15 inches (10395 in3) The robot must be under a certain height constraint at the start of the match. A team may have four different objects on the field. All the objects must fit into the starting box. No wireless communications are allowed during the tournament. Game play Each year has a different set of objectives. The 2008 theme was outer space based, with the robots on board a space station. The robots must get ready for a solar flare by collecting "food" (green balls), rescuing "crew members" (orange balls), and deploying "satellites" (blue cups) and "solar sails" (cocktail umbrellas). The robots must also collect Botguy (a plush robot) and a garden (a large green ball) and place them on their side. The board is made up of two eight-foot by four-foot boards connected by a two-foot by four-foot ditch. The ditch has two bridges on either side, which the robots must knock down to get to the other side. The field size depends upon the game; this one totals 8 ft by 12 ft, with most of the surface surrounded by 1-1/2 inch PVC pipe. When two teams compete against each other, they start on opposite