dice
Enable an AI agent to recognise physical dice, assess whether their outcomes can be produced and read reliably, and decide how they may be used.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 28 questions
Die identity and form Establishes what physical die is present and how its form supports outcome selection.
Recognition and role
Distinguishes dice from similar objects and records individual or set roles.
Physical outcome selector
Record the evidence that the object is intended to select outcomes through rolling or tumbling, including whether it currently serves another role.
- What establishes that this object is a die rather than a decorative solid, numbered counter or other marked object? definition
- Is this an independently read die or a member of a set whose members have distinct roles? boundary
Outcome-bearing geometry
Records the body's relevant surfaces and resting positions without assuming that face count equals outcome count.
Form and resting positions
Describe the observed geometry, dimensions and intended outcome-bearing positions, distinguishing these from exceptional landings.
- What body form, dimensions and physical surfaces can be observed or measured? measurement
- Which resting positions are intended to yield outcomes, and which require a separate acceptance decision? boundary
Markings and outcome meaning Connects physical markings and resting positions to reportable outcomes.
Marking inventory
Records the actual outcome vocabulary and how markings are distributed.
Surface-to-label map
Record each relevant marking and its physical location, including blanks, repeated values and visually ambiguous symbols.
- What numbers, pips, symbols, colours or blank markings occur on each outcome-bearing surface? measurement
- Which markings repeat or require orientation cues to distinguish them? measurement
Result interpretation
Makes the reading convention explicit for individual dice and composite results.
Position-to-result convention
Record which physical feature is read and how its label becomes a result, with any set-level role assignment.
- Which face, vertex, edge or other feature determines the result when this die has settled? definition
- What instruction or agreed convention establishes label meanings and any ordering of dice in a composite result? provenance
Rolling and result acceptance Describes how a roll is produced, observed and accepted for the intended use.
Roll production
Records the method and surroundings relevant to interpreting a roll.
Rolling method and context
Capture how the die is released and where it rolls, including equipment and interactions with other dice.
- What release method, rolling equipment, surface and containment are used? provenance
- What rolling procedure is required for this use, and can this die be rolled that way with the available equipment? action
Landing assessment
Separates observed landing state from the decision to accept or repeat a roll.
Readable and acceptable landing
Record whether the die has settled and can be read, then apply the supplied convention for exceptional landings.
- Has the die stopped moving, and is its result unambiguous from the available view? measurement
- Under the applicable convention, should a cocked, stacked, obstructed or out-of-area landing be accepted, inspected or rerolled? action
Physical integrity and alteration Records construction, damage and alterations relevant to dice behaviour and interpretation.
Construction evidence
Distinguishes documented or observed construction from assumptions about internal balance.
Material and balance-relevant features
Record material, mass and established structural features while leaving unexamined internal properties unresolved.
- What material, mass, cavities, inserts or other construction features are documented or directly observed? provenance
- What evidence supports any claim about internal weighting, symmetry or deliberate alteration? provenance
Wear and serviceability
Assesses changes to the surfaces and markings that support rolling and reading.
Condition-based use decision
Locate damage, wear and contamination and connect observed defects to a handling or use decision.
- Where are chips, cracks, deformation, edge wear, lost markings or adhered material present? measurement
- Does the observed condition call for cleaning, further inspection, restricted use or removal from the intended use? action
Probability evidence and use fit Relates observed roll behaviour to explicit expectations and task requirements.
Distribution assessment
Records the expected distribution and the evidence available to assess it.
Expected and observed outcomes
Keep expected probabilities, physical-position counts and interpreted-result counts distinct, with trial conditions and uncertainty.
- What probability distribution is expected for this use, and does it apply to physical positions or interpreted results? definition
- What outcome counts, trial count and rolling protocol support the assessment, and what uncertainty remains? measurement
Task-specific selection
Determines whether a die or set meets the requirements of a specified activity.
Requirements-to-dice match
Compare the required outcomes, reading conditions, set roles and probability expectations with the available dice and evidence.
- Which required values, symbols, member distinctions or reading conditions does this die or set satisfy? boundary
- Can these dice be selected for the task now, or is replacement, clarification or further testing needed? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of dice this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.OBJ
- Other names and narrower kinds
- Teetotum, intransitive dice, fuzzy dice, sex dice, loaded dice, divination die, hundred-sided die, Zocchihedron, ten-sided die, six-sided die, seven-sided die, four-sided die
What it is Filled
A die is a throwable object with multiple resting positions, used to generate random integers or other discrete outcomes according to an outcome-reading convention; dice need not be polyhedra or have unique markings for every position, and uniform outcome probabilities depend on the object's physical properties, outcome mapping and rolling conditions rather than requiring isohedral geometry.
In scope
- Individual dice and membership in sets whose dice must be distinguished or read together
- Physical form and the resting positions that may represent outcomes
- Face markings, symbols and mappings from observed positions to reported outcomes
- Dimensions, material, balance-related features and condition relevant to rolling
- Roll observations, readability and evidence about outcome frequencies
- Compatibility with a specified rolling method, surface and outcome-reading convention
Out of scope
- Game rules, turn sequences, scoring systems and player strategy
- Bets, stakes, payouts and gambling transactions
- Dice trays, cups, towers and playing surfaces as independently managed objects
- Software dice simulations and other nonphysical random-number generators
- Manufacturing equipment and production workflows
- Industrial cutting dies, stamping dies and semiconductor dies
Why it exists Filled
Enable an AI agent to recognise physical dice, assess whether their outcomes can be produced and read reliably, and decide how they may be used.
Distinguishing features Filled
- The object is intended to generate a discrete outcome by being rolled, tossed or tumbled and then read from its resting position.
- Its physical positions or markings support an identifiable outcome-reading convention; a decorative polyhedron without that function is not automatically a die.
- Outcome selection depends on the body's landing position rather than a pointer rotating against a separate scale, distinguishing it from a spinner.
- Numbers or pips alone are insufficient: a numbered counter placed deliberately to show a value serves a different role unless it also functions as a rolled outcome selector.
- Blank, damaged or altered dice can retain their identity as dice even when their present ability to yield a readable or suitable outcome is unresolved.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Supply or use loaded or weighted dice to cheat.
- Misrepresent a die as fair when testing shows bias.
- Facilitate illegal gambling or gambling by minors.
- Encourage chasing losses in games of chance.
Only with a human decision
- Running dice games for money.
May
- Roll, read and record dice results in games it is authorized to run.
- Test dice for fairness and report bias.
Moral aspects Filled
- Gambling with dice can lead to addiction and debt.
- Fair randomness underpins trust in games.
Who is affected
- Players
- People with gambling problems
- Children
Owners Filled
Steward
The person who keeps them; gaming regulators oversee casino dice.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q17638008 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.dice
- Wikidata: Q45089 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45089)
Direct properties required Filled
- Die or set identity: Individual die identifier; set identifier; member role
- Body form: Observed geometric form; face count where applicable; irregular or unresolved
- Outcome mapping: Physical face or resting position to label, symbol or interpreted value; reading convention
- Dimensions and mass: Dimensions in mm; mass in g; measurement method and uncertainty
- Material and construction: Observed or documented material; solid, hollow, composite or unknown; inserts or cavities if established
- Marking readability: Readable, conditionally readable, ambiguous or unreadable under recorded viewing conditions
- Physical condition: Observed chips, cracks, deformation, edge wear, marking loss or contamination; location and severity
- Observed outcome frequencies: Counts by physical outcome and interpreted result; trial count; rolling protocol
- Current roll status: Not rolled, moving, settled, cocked, obstructed, outside the permitted area or unreadable
- Use suitability: Die or set to intended use, requirements, assessment and supporting evidence
Recognition required Filled
- Dice are often small cubes or other polyhedra with numbers, pips or symbols, but other shapes and repeated or absent markings also occur.
- Dice often have rounded corners and contrasting coloured marks.
- Identification depends on the object's intended use and outcome-reading convention rather than shape or markings alone.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Identify and select dice with the outcome vocabulary required for a task.
- Roll or tumble a die using a recorded method and compatible surface.
- Read a settled position and translate it into an outcome under an explicit convention.
- Combine distinguishable dice into a composite result when a supplied convention defines their roles.
- Inspect markings and physical condition, then clean or remove a die from use as appropriate.
- Collect repeated-roll observations to assess a specified probability or suitability claim.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Choking hazard for small children.
- Biased results from damaged or weighted dice.
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- EN 71-1, issued by the European Committee for Standardization, addresses mechanical and physical safety requirements for dice supplied as toys or toy components.
- ISO 8124-1, issued by the International Organization for Standardization, addresses mechanical and physical safety aspects of dice within its toy safety scope.
Context of use required Filled
- Dice provide discrete outcomes in board games, roleplaying games, gambling and classroom probability activities.
- Their suitability depends on the required outcome set, readable markings and the degree of fairness needed for the activity.
Sources Filled
- ARSD 20:18:19:10 Dice - physical characteristics - Regulated casino-cube size (0.750-0.775 in), cellulose transparency, square edges, equal-weight pip fill to 0.0004 in, opposite-face pairing 1-6 / 2-5 / 3-4, and serial-plus-licensee marking.
- N.J. Admin. Code § 13:69E-1.15 Dice; physical characteristics - Same cube construction rules as South Dakota, plus a smaller pai gow size band of 0.637-0.643 in.
- Dice Game Standards (June 2022) - Canadian provincial physical standards for casino dice: cube geometry, cellulose acetate, flush spots, serial and logo, and a ban on bull's-eye pips.
- It's majestic: Casino dice is unlike other dice - How ¾-inch translucent serialized cubes are used on a craps table, why sharp edges and transparency exist (tamper detection, random tumble), and substitution/sliding as live cheating modes.
- Dice Materials and Construction: What Sets Quality Dice Apart - Precision vs injection-moulded hobby construction; cellulose acetate casino cubes; typical plastic d6 mass 3-5 g vs zinc-alloy 20-30 g; Nevada Regulation 14 cited for ¾-inch cubes and ~0.0005 in edge variance.
- Precision Casino Dice (CIS 07.26 V1.1) - Manufacturer sizes (¾ in and 0.775 in; pai gow 0.640 in and ⅝ in), razor vs ball-corner edges, sanded vs high-polish finish, and use in craps, sic bo and pai gow.
- Spielwürfel - Which polyhedra are isohedral (fair in the geometric sense), and the Dungeons & Dragons seven-die set as the dominant non-cube trade assortment.
- How do they test casino dice? - Pit inspection tools (micrometer, balancing caliper, set square, magnet) and the New Jersey equipment-control practice of locking dice until table open.
- Dice Size Comparison of Different Dice - Measured hobby-set size bands (d6 about 16-18 mm; d20 about 23-29 mm) and the seven-die RPG pack as sold.
- What Dice Do You Need? 12mm vs 16mm, 40K, D&D & More - Practical split between 12 mm d6 for wargame handfuls and 16 mm cubes / seven-die polyhedral sets for role-playing games.
- Wikidata item Q45089: dice - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Dice - general description of the item
Open questions
- Does the registry intend dice to include coin-like, rounded or other nonpolyhedral outcome selectors, and where should that boundary fall?
- Should a dice set have its own modelled identity when member roles or matched properties matter, or remain a grouping of individual dice?
- Which authoritative sources establish reading conventions for unusual forms, repeated labels and composite results?
- What probability-assessment methods and evidence thresholds are appropriate for each intended use, especially when the expected distribution is unequal?
- Which construction and condition criteria justify restricting a die's use, and which require direct testing rather than visual inference?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q45089/spec.json