Objectives and
History:
Robo-Hoops is an autonomous mobile robot design competition in
which two robots battle head-to-head in a basketball challenge. Robots must
dunk or shoot foam basketballs into a net located 12 inches above the playing
field. The contest is open to students of all ages (K-8, high school, college,
and beyond).
Any combination of hardware and software may be utilized. The contest is free
and allows for the use of low-cost (but sophisticated) supplies and equipment.
In addition to the autonomous (computer-controlled) robots, there is also an optional junior K-8
remote control division. Robo-Hoops is open to students and adults
of any age. All events are free and open to the public.
The goal of the contest is to encourage creative problem-solving, teamwork,
project-based learning, robot technology, and to promote interest in careers in science,
engineering, technology, mathematics (STEM), computer science, artificial intelligence,
and information technologies.
The Robo-Hoops contest
was designed at Penn State Abington and was successfully offered since 1995. Elementary schools, middle
schools, high schools, and colleges in the Philadelphia, PA area and beyond will
be participating. Over 40 robot teams and over 100 students participated in the 2007 Abington Robo-Hoops
contest. Students from over 15 schools
participated. The contest has been growing and becomes more successful
each year of operation.. Click here to see who
is currently registered for the 2008 contest.
We will also be hosting
several robotics vendors, students projects, and a VEX robot scrimmage match
hosted by STEMRobotics.org.
Contest sponsors include:
Abington Bank, Penn State College of Engineering, Penn State College of
Information Sciences and Technology (IST), and Penn State
Abington College.
Penn State Abington also offers a regional firefighting robot contest each
spring and a Mini Grand Challenge outdoor robot contest. To learn more about the Penn State Abington Robotics Program, please
visit our main robot contest website.
Contest/Exhibit Time and Location
A contest is scheduled for
Saturday, December 6, 2008 (1pm to
5pm) at the
Penn State Abington College in Abington PA in Room 112 Woodland Building.
Practice time will be available prior to the contest (see schedule below). There will be no charge for the
spectators or participants. Dress is casual. Free parking will be available. All
of the events listed below are free and open to the general public.
Tentative schedule
(all events open to the public and are free)
Time
Event
(all events are open to the general public)
Room/Building
9am - 12noon
Open practice (and qualification) for all Robo-Hoops teams
Rm 112 Woodland Bldg
11:30am - 1:30pm
Free
pizza and soda for all participants, spectators, and guests
Rm 121
Woodland Bldg.
1:00pm - 1:15pm
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Rm 112 Woodland Bldg
1:15pm - 2:15
Robo-Hoops High Scorer Solo & Creativity Event and
Exhibit
Theobjective of the contest is to design an
autonomous, computer-controlled (programmed) robot that can score points by picking up foam balls (4" in
diameter) and shooting or dunking the balls into a single basketball net (10"
diameter hoop; 12" off the ground) in a head-to-head basketball competition
with another robot. One point will be earned for dunking or dropping the ball
into the net. Two points will be earned for shooting the ball through the air into the net.
The time limit is 60 seconds. Robots may compete in both a solo round
and in a double elimination one-on-one match. The robot with the most points
earned during the match will be declared the winner. There is also a
remote control robot division for K-8.
Here are the
divisions
and levels for the Robo-Hoops Contest:
1.- Senior Division - college level and beyond
(autonomous/programmed robots
only; open to any college or university student or older)
(Note: the senior division is also open to adults and professionals of
any background)
2.- High School Division(open to students enrolled in any high school; autonomous/programmed robots only)
3.- Junior Autonomous Division (8th
grade and younger; autonomous/programmed robots)
4.- Junior Remote Control Division
(8th grade and younger; remote control robots; these robots will operate in
"solo" more only)
Participants compete against other robots
within
their own division.
Any hardware or software technologies can
be used to design and construct your robot in any of the divisions,
including (but not limited to) Lego RCX/NXT, VEX, HandyBoard, Pic, Basic
Stamp, BasicX, Brainstem, ooPic, Pontech SV203, PDA, cell phone,
Nintendo Game Boy, Microsoft Robotics Studio, FPGA, etc. Any programming
language can be used including C. C++, assembly, Java, Visual Basic,
Forth, Perl, Python, RoboLab, Visual Basic, Labview, etc.
Microprocessor can be onboard the robot, or wireless technology can be
used to communicate between a laptop/PDA and the robot. The
advantage of this flexibility is to allow educators and professionals to
use the technology that already exists in the classroom or lab.
Additionally, participants are exposed to a wide range of technologies
at the contest.
There are
2 distinct phases
of the Robo-Hoops contest:
Phase
1 is called the "High
Scorer Solo/Exhibit" round. In this phase, a robot
will be placed on the Robo-Hoops arena without a robot opponent, and the
goal will be to score as many points within 60 seconds.
Participation in the solo round is optional. There will be awards for "most points scored" and awards for
creativity and innovation. Robots participating in Phase 1 are given one,
60-second opportunity.
Each autonomous robot must qualify prior to the contest by demonstrating
that: 1) the robot starts from either side via the starting lights, and
2) the robot scores at least one point. Robots in the K-8 Junior Remote Control will
also compete during this time. Robots in the K-8 Junior Remote
Control do not need to qualify prior to the contest.
This solo round
is also the time when any robot team or student can exhibit a special
robot project to demonstrate any innovative robot technology. For an
exhibit, the robot does not need to satisfy the rules of the contest.
Please contact judges if you are interested in participation
Awards and recognition for innovation and creativity will made based on
this exhibition event.
Phase 2
of the contest is called the "Head-to-Head" round. In this phase, all
qualified robots compete in a 60-second head-to-head match against
another robot in its division using a double-elimination process. A
robot must lose 2 matches to be eliminated from the head-to-head phase. Each age group will compete within their
own division. Robots may participate in both phase 1 and phase 2
of the contest. Each robot must qualify prior to the
contest by demonstrating that: 1) the robot starts from either side via
the starting lights, and 2) the robot scores at least one point.
Each match in the competition will be limited to
60
seconds total. The robot with the most points after a 60 second time limit
will be declared the winner of the match. In the event of a tie, the robot
that scored the first point will be declared the winner. In the event that
neither robot scores any points, the winner will be determined at the
discretion of the judges. This decision may be based on the overall
functionality of the robot (e.g. mobility, picking up of ball, attempted
shots, penalties, etc.), or may be based on a solo run by each robot. In a non-scoring round, a robot which exhibits a
purely defensive strategy (never attempts to pick up ball and never attempts shot;
but simply rams other robot) will not
be judged the winner. It is permissible and encouraged, however, for a
robot to pick up a ball and attempt a shot, then prevent the opponent from scoring.
Each robot
must qualify
prior to the contest (from 9am to 12pm on day of contest) by
demonstrating that: 1) the robot starts from either side via the starting
lights, and 2) the robot scores at least one point. .Judges will be
available during this time period to record qualification rounds.
Participants will be given at least 3 opportunities to qualify. The
qualification trial will be performed without an opposing robot. After
12pm the qualification period will be closed.
Robots which fail to qualify will be eligible
for demonstrations and innovation and creativity awards.
The
maximum size of the robot at the start of the
competition is 12" by 12" by 18'' (vertical). That is, at the start the robot
should fit within a box with inside dimensions 12" by 12" by 18"(vertical).
There is no minimum size requirements. At the start, the robot may be
positioned anywhere in the 1ft by 4 ft starting area defined by the red tape
in the playing field diagram.
Once the contest has begun, the robot can assume a maximum size of 18" by 18"
by 18". The robot is not permitted to exceed 18" by 18" by 18" in
overall dimension at any time during the 60 second match. This maximum size
includes any wires or sensors. (Judges may allow
for max of a 0.5 inch tolerance only.)
The foam ball must
fall or be moved completely through and
below the rim in order
to be counted as a point. At some point during the shot, the ball must
become completely detached (even if momentarily) from the robot.
It is not necessary for the ball to make contact with the surface of the
playing field once it moves or falls through the net -- it may be
caught by a robot or some mechanism.
Each robot must be
fully autonomous No radio-controlled (R/C) equipment
of any type is allowed (except in the R/C K-8 Division - see below). There can
be no physical wire tether connecting the robot to an external device or
computer. It is permissible, however, for the robot to communicate wirelessly
via IR, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc to another external computer device, as long as
the operation of the robot is completely autonomous, the external equipment is
completely portable (i.e. laptop, PDA, etc.), and the external device be
present in the arena area at the time of the match. If the robot does
communicate wirelessly with a remote computer, the remote computer shall not
posses any sensors of any kind. There will be no special
accommodations afforded to setup external equipment such as desktop PCs, etc.
at the contest arena site. No electricity will be supplied to any
external device at the contest arena site. There can be no intervention by any
team member once the match starts. Any intervention will result in an
immediate halt in the match, with the match win going to the opposing team.
Tethered (by physical wire) autonomous robots will be permitted but will incur a penalty of 2
points for each match. Furthermore, if at any time during the match, a ball touches a tether,
then the tethered robot loses the match. See organizers for other details
concerning tethered robots.) In addition to the autonomous robots, there
is also an optional junior K-8 remote control division (see below for more
information.)
The physical
arena for the Robo-hoops
competition consists of a flat, horizontal playing field approx. 48 inches by
80 inches. The flat playing field is wood painted white (Note: the
playing field was painted black last year!). There are 3/4 - 1 inch
thick black and
red lines (see playing field
diagram.) The floor consists of two, 24-inch by 80-inch wood panels.
There is a small seam where the panels are joined. The backboard is a
vertical wall 80 inches in length and 30 inches high. The backboard is
painted black or dark blue. A basketball net/hoop is
positioned 12 inches above the playing field in the center of the vertical
backboard. The hoop has an outside diameter of 10 inches and an inside
diameter of 9.5 inches. The nearest edge of the hoop extends 1-2 inches from the
vertical wall. A trimmed net is hanging from the hoop a distance of 3.5 to 4 inches
below the rim.
An
incandescent lamp
(similar to a common flashlight bulb) will be positioned on either
side of the vertical wall (6 inches above surface; 6 inches from the closest
edge of table) to indicate the start of
the contest. That is, these lights will turned on prior to the start of the
match, and will be turned off to signal the start of
the contest and remain off throughout the contest. This ensures that both
robots will start at the same time. Another lamp, directly below the
basketball net and positioned 6 inches from the floor, will be illuminated at
the start of the contest and will remain lit throughout the contest. See
diagrams in playing field
diagram. for more details. Autonomous robots must be able to detect when
the start lamps have been turned off, after which the robots can begin
activity. If robots must be started manually in the autonomous divisions,
then there will be a one point penalty. The robots may optionally detect the
incandescent lamp below the basket in order to determine the location of the
basket.
A robot may *not* operate any
omni-directional visible or IR emitter or reflective device with the intention of mimicking the
lamp beacon directly below the net. Emitters are allowed for other purposes,
but should be suitably shielded, low power, and well directed towards a
receiver. Failure to observe this rule will result in disqualification of the
robot from the entire contest.
There will be
5 foam balls
placed on the playing field at specified locations at the start of a match.
The balls will be yellow
in color. Foam ball diameters range from 3.5" to 4.5". There is no maximum number of points that
can be scored in the specified match time. A robot may carry any number of
balls. The balls may not be permanently deformed or scarred in any way,
otherwise the robot responsible will be declared the loser of the match, and
the opposing team will be declared the winner. A robot may shoot or dunk the
same ball or set of balls more than once. The robot may not be carrying a ball
at the start of the match. The foam balls are set up on the playing
field centered on black lines as shown in
playing field diagram.
A robot may
touch the rim or net in the process of
scoring a point. The rim may not be deflected more than 1 inch or so, and the
robot may not deflect the rim for more than 3 consecutive seconds. The rim
shall not be permanently deformed in any way. Failure to observe these rules
will result in a match loss for the offending robot, and a match win for the
opposing robot. Basically, minor deflection of the net is allowed in the
process of executing a shot, but the net deflection should not prevent the
opposing robot from scoring a goal.
When a robot is
penalized during a match with an immediate
loss, the match will be terminated at that time by the judges. The judges may
decide to continue the match for exhibition purposes, but the lose/win
decision based on the penalty will be final.
A robot, or any robot part, may not be present in the
imaginary cylindrical volume defined by the rim of the hoop for a time period
of more than 4 consecutive seconds.
This cylindrical volume extends from the floor to the ceiling. Simply stated,
this means that no part of the robot may be directly over or under the
hoop/net for more than 4 consecutive seconds. A robot may not block the
opening of the basketball net for a time period of more than 4 consecutive
seconds. However, a robot may block or enter the net area for multiple time
periods of 4 or less consecutive seconds. For example, a robot could
block the opening of the net for up to 4 seconds, then completely leave the
area of the net, then return to block the net area for up to another 4
seconds. This process may be repeated. Exceeding the 4-second
limit at any time will result in a
loss of all points earned up to that time (that is, the
score is reset to zero points) for the offending robot, and will also result in a
match loss if the offending robot impedes the progress of the opposing robot
in any manner. The only exception to the 4-second
rule is the case where two opposing robots are locked in contact with each
other (or one robot is blocking or preventing the motion of another robot) within this cylindrical volume for a duration exceeding 4 seconds, and
then there will be no penalty applied to the (violating) robot in this case.
A
solo roundwill be
held prior to the Robo-Hoops head-to-head double elimination contest. During
this solo round, a robot will be placed on the playing field (on either
side) with *no* opponent. The robot will be started in the normal fashion
(starting lights), with the normal 5 foam ball placement. The robot must
satisfy the size limitations and general scoring rules to qualify for the
most points awards. The solo round is optional. A robot should demonstrate a
high level of functionality
(example: reliably scoring one or more points) in order to
qualify for solo round. All robots registered for the K-8 remote control
will run their robots during this solo round time (there is no head-to-head
matches for remote controlled robots.). The solo round is also an
opportunity to exhibit robots which do not follow the Robo-hoops rules, but
are examples of creative and innovative design. Please contact
organizers if you wish to participate in the exhibit.
A robot which, as determined by the judges, intentionally
damages or threatens to damage the opponent's robot in any fashion, or
damages or threatens to damage the playing field in any way will be
disqualified immediately. The robot cannot contain any flammable or explosive
devices of any kind. The robot may not fire any projectile (other than a foam
ball). Once a robot is disqualified, the robot shall not be permitted to
engage in any additional matches. The ruling of the judges is final. (A robot
may interfere or block another robot.)
Robot
appendages (for example arms, grippers, etc.)
may not become disconnected from the robot at any time during the competition.
(The only exception will be the case of a robot breaking off a piece of an
opposing robot. In this case the opposing robot would not be penalized.) A
robot may be declared the loser in a match if it is determined by the judges
that loose robot parts have interfered with the opposing robot.
In order to receive
2 points for a shot, the ball
must be launched when the entire robot is at least 6 inches away from the rim
as defined by a 2-point black line on the surface of the playing field.
That is, all parts of the robot must be outside the volume defined by the
2-point black line until the ball is released by the robot. The volume is
defined by the inner edge of the 2-point line and extends from the floor to
the ceiling. The 2-point black line is actually outside the volume (see
playing field diagram.).
The ball can proceed directly into the net, or can use the backboard (and will
not affect shot score.) If a ball is shot (released) when any part of the
robot is within the 2-point zone, then the score will be 1 point. The 2-point
line can implemented as a curved line or with several straight line segments.
If both robots in a match are
motionless (or
hopelessly stuck) for more than 15 seconds, the judges may, with the consent
of both teams, terminate the match.
A robot may be equipped with
decorative items (e.g.
school insignia, banners, etc.) Any decorative items that are perceived to be in
bad taste (as determined by the judge) will be grounds for disqualification.
Decorative items may not result in a robot size that exceeds the maximum size
of the robot.
Decorative items, especially with school name and/or robot name, are actually
encouraged.
One of the two teams will be
selected randomlyby
the judge to first place their robot in starting area on either the right side
or the left side of the arena. The starting side (either right or left)
will also be randomly determined. The opposing team will place
their robot once the first team has finished placement of their robot. Each team has
a maximum of 2 minutes to
position the robot in the starting area. The robot must remain in the starting
area prior to the match start while the starting light is on. During this time
prior to match start, the robot may move, produce sounds, etc., as long as it
does not move outside the starting area or exceed the 12x12x18 inch size
limit. If a robot moves out of the starting area before the match starts (i.e.
before the beacon is extinguished), or exceeds the size limit, then the robot
in violation (or first to violate) will be declared the loser, and the
opponent will be declared the winner of the match.
There is no specific
weight limit, but the robots
must not inflict injury or scars to the playing field surface, which consists
of standard hollow door panels. A robot may be disqualified if, in the opinion
of the judges, the robot poses a potential hazard to the playing field.
Robots may be
re-programmed or
physically modified between trials during
the contest. This is encouraged. Switches and settings on the robot may also be
manipulated to adjust the computer software algorithms when the robot is first placed at the starting position. Robots
may possess a variety of software strategies that may be selected or activated
at the time the robot is placed on the starting position. For example, you
may have one software program for play against a dunking robot, and another
program for play against a shooting robot.
Robots may undergo physical transformations,
reprogramming, and reconfigurations between rounds.
Repairsare clearly allowed.
Alterations and changes may not result in a delay to start a match.
A
double-elimination contest will be setup for each
of the college, high school, junior autonomous divisions. Teams compete
within their respective divisions only. For example, high school teams
compete against other high school teams, K-8 teams compete against other K-8
teams. The judges reserve
the right to combine divisions and make other alterations based on the number
of entries in each division. Robots will be expected to run in
successive matches during the double-elimination phase. It is
important that designers provide adequate power for multiple (up to 6) runs
without the need to replace batteries
In the 2007 contest,
we will be adhering to a stricter pace during the matches to
reduce the dead-time and delay waiting for
robots to show up at the arena area.
All robots within a division will be required to assemble in the staging
area until all matches for that division are complete. Robots
must be available for multiple runs within the division set of matches.
Robots that are not present in the staging area when the match is scheduled
will forfeit the match. That means that robots should be capable of making
multiple runs without the need for repairs or time consuming battery
changes, etc, During the matches for a division, robot teams will not
be permitted to return to the lab/work areas to make changes or alterations.
Robot teams have to report to the arena within 30 seconds of notification.
An optional
K-8 remote-control divisionallows human-operated, remote control
robots to participate. Remote control robots will not compete
head-to-head, but instead will compete in the solo, unopposed segment of the
contest. Each robot in the remote control division will be provided one
opportunity (60 seconds) to run the robot during the contest during the solo
round. The robots must satisfy the same size requirements as the
autonomous robots. The arena and foam ball setup will be the same as
well. The K-8 students on the team must operate the robot. The robot may utilize any wired or wireless technology
including IR, RF, Bluetooth, Wi-fi, etc. The robot must demonstrate some level
of modification or customization or engineering effort accomplished by the
students. For example, an
unmodified, store-bought R/C device would not be eligible for this
division. However, a store-bought R/C vehicle or device that was mechanically
modified and/or expanded would be permissible. Also, materials such as Legos,
K'Nex, or any other combination or mix of materials is allowed. Be
creative. Please contact the organizers if you have any questions about
the K-8 remote control division.
Any robot that
violates the spiritof the contest
rules, in the judgment of the organizers, will be eliminated from
competition.
Senior (autonomous
robots) -- Single Award; Most Points Scored in Solo Round (in 60 seconds)
High School (autonomous
robots) - Single Award; Most Points Scored in Solo Round (in 60 seconds)
Junior Autonomous (8th grade and younger; autonomous
robots)
-- Single Award; Most Points Scored Solo (in 60 seconds)
Junior Remote Control (8th grade and younger;
remote control division) - 3 Awards; Most Points Scored Solo (60 seconds) -- 1st place, 2nd
place, 3rd place
Any K-12 or college organization will have an
opportunity to exhibit robot technology or research at the contest exhibit in
the Lobby of the Woodland Building. Please contact the contest organizers
directly by email if you wish to participate in the robot exhibit event.
Robot exhibits are open to any robot application area. A poster describing
the robot creation is recommended, but not required.
Registration
The Penn State Abington Robo-Hoops robot competition is open to all
university and college undergraduates, high school students, and elementary school
level (K-8) students. Robot teams may be sponsored by any school, group,
club, or organizations. Additionally, student participants need not be sponsored
by a school, club, or organization, and may be independent entries.
All robots must register by
Nov. 25, 2008 at 5pm. The
registration is free. The competition is limited to a maximum of 50 robots
total (with division limits: 12 robots max for senior, 32 max for high
school, 10 max for junior autonomous, 8 max junior remote control).
Registration is on a first come, first serve basis.
Please limit registration to a maximum of 4
to 5 robots per school or organization (contact
organizers if you need additional spots. Registration will be
closed when the total limit (or
division limit) is reached, or the date of the registration deadline is reached --
whichever occurs first. Registration is open as of September 25, 2008.
Send organizers email if there are any questions or special circumstances.
Please register each robot via the form
provided below. Fill out and electronically submit one form per robot
(click on submit button). Please register as soon as possible -- registration is
now open. . Participants who do not register on time will not be guaranteed
participation in the contest. Registration information should appear on the "Who is
Registered?" web page within 48 to 72 hours after submitting the registration form.
Please register as early as possible -- if you believe there is a 50% chance or
greater that you will participate, then you are encouraged to register
immediately. Early registration helps us promote event and gain sponsors. If
you find you are unable to attend the event at a later time, please send email
(rla5@psu.edu) to organizers to cancel your
registration.
Directions To Penn State Abington
College
From PA Turnpike take interchange # 343 (formerly
#27), follow Rt. 611 South 3.4 miles to Abington,
turn left on Woodland Road, look for Abington Hospital on right and Inn Flight
Restaurant on left. Follow Woodland road for 0.5 miles. Campus is on right. Take
first entrance on right (past Cloverly Lane) and park. Go through main entrance
of Woodland Bldg. (white stone bldg adjacent to parking lot). Upon entering
Woodland bldg, enter first set of doors to your left -- this is room 112W, the
auditorium. You could also proceed downstairs and enter auditorium from lobby.
(From Phila area, take Rt. 611 north, past Rt 73, and make right onto Woodland
Road near Abington Hospital.)
foam balls. These are inexpensive uncoated,
lightweight foam ball approximately 4" in diameter and yellow in color. They can be purchased
from
www.palossports.com (item
#10065; 79 cents each). There might be other vendors as well. These
foam balls are not generally not found in local retail stores (use the website
or obtain foam balls from PSU Abington). Penn State
has purchased a supply of these foam balls, and local teams are invited to
visit and pick-up a free set of 5 balls for use in preparing for the contest
(while supplies last). Please send email to organizers
if you are interested in obtaining the foam balls.
basketball hoop and net. I recommend
purchasing a "Nerfoop" (by Hasboro) set which consists of a ball (heavier than
the above foam balls), a hoop, and a net. This can be purchased at any local
toy store such as Toys-R-Us or on-line for approximately $7. The hoop and
net are the correct size for the contest. The ball is the right size but is
coated and is a bit heavier than the foam balls used in the contest. It can
be used for practice to pick-up and dunk, but it is not recommended for
practice in shooting (due to the added weight).
incandescent lights: We are using a Radio
Shack mini-lamp base #272356 for E-10 screw-base lamp (or equivalently the
272-357 E-10 base will work), and a Radio Shack #46
screw-base incandescent) lamp, 6.3volts, 250ma, #272-1130, package of 2. You
can power these lamps at 6.0 volts DC using standard batteries. Also, most inexpensive incandescent lamps
or inexpensive flashlights can be used for practice.
Are there any
changes in the rules or setup in 2008 from earlier Robo-Hoops contests?
In 2008, there will be qualification criteria
for a robot to participate the Robo-hoops contest events (both the solo
event and the double elimination round). Robots must "qualify"
, prior to the contest, by
demonstrating that they are capable of 1) starting autonomously from either
side of the arena by way of the starting lights, and 2) picking up or gathering the foam ball,
and scoring a single point. The qualification trial will be performed
without an opposing robot.
Qualification will take place during the practice time from 9am to 12pm.
After 12pm, no robots will be allowed to qualify.
Judges will be in place to record successful robot qualifications. It
is important that participants contact a judge to complete the
qualification. All participants will be given up to 3 opportunities to
qualify. Robots that do not qualify will be given the opportunity to
exhibit and demonstrate their designs at the contest. Robots that do
not qualify will be eligible for innovation and design awards.
In the 2008 contest (as was the case in 2007 as well), we will be adhering to a stricter pace during the
matches to reduce the dead-time waiting for robots to show up at the arena
area. All robots within a division will be required to assemble in the
staging area until all matches for that division are complete. Robots
must be available for multiple runs within the division. Robots that
are not available in the staging area when the match is scheduled will
forfeit the match. That means that robots should be capable of making
multiple runs without the need for repairs or time consuming battery
changes, etc,
At the
start, must the robot be placed on a black
line in the starting area? No. The robot can be placed in any orientation and facing any direction within the 1
foot by 4 foot starting area defined by the red tape.
Can a robot
"bump" into another robot? Yes. A robot can impact another robot with the intention of preventing the
opposing robot from scoring points or impeding the motion of the opposing
robot. This is an important part of a
head-to-head competition. A robot may not, however, inflict "injury" or damage
to another robot. Any robot that exhibits behavior which is considered
harmful to another robot will be disqualified.
May a robot catch the foam ball after it falls
through the net? Yes. A robot may catch the ball or pick up the ball after it passes
completely through the net. Remember, however, that a robot may not be under
or over any part of the net for more than 4 consecutive seconds. A robot can
remove itself from the net area after 4 seconds and then return for another 4
seconds, and so on.
Is there any penalty if a foam ball is pushed or
thrown off the playing platform? No, there is no penalty. Once a ball has been removed from the playing field
by a robot, the ball will not be returned.
Can the same foam ball be used to score points more
than once? Yes.
What is a low-cost robot kit that can be successfully
used in this competition? One good choice for starters (and experienced students) is the
Lego Mindstorms
Robotics Invention System (RCX is approx. $200), or the new Lego
Mindstorms NXT kit ($250). The value of the Lego Mindstorms kit is that it can
be used by K-12 teachers in science courses and many other educational
activities. LegoMindstorms is also used in college courses and these robots
can be programmed in C, Visual Basic, Java, and others. Contact contest organizers for more detailed
information. Other effective introductory robot kits
include the VEX kit, Basic Stamp (www.parallax.com) and the HandyBoard (www.handyboard.com).
Are there any restrictions on the
robot technologies or construction materials used for
the contest? No. You may choose any materials and any combination of materials. Possible
materials include Legos, wood, aluminum, K'nex, etc. Miscellaneous
materials such as string, dowels, screws, rubber bands, springs, straws, etc.
may be used in combination with other building materials. No combustible
or hazardous materials can be used. A trip to a hardware or craft store can
prove to be very useful. Any commercially
available microprocessor or robot technology can be used. This
flexibility of robot equipment allows students and teachers to apply the same robot equipment that is
used in the classroom or research lab to be also used in this robot contest. We also
encourage students to combine this robot contest with science fairs and other research projects.
The only restriction is that students themselves are the primary designers and
programmers of
the final robot entry.
Is it unfair to
allow students to use any type of materials and robot technology for the contest? Interestingly, no. This is largely due to the fact that the contest
was specifically designed to allow solutions using relatively simple
(but cleverly designed) software and hardware technology. That is, the effective use of strategy and creativity can offset
sophistication in technology. In the end, an inexpensive but cleverly
designed low-cost robot, can outperform an expensive robot. There is also
a "complexity factor" --as you add expensive and sophisticated sensors and
technology to your robot, then the software and other support systems become
more complex and difficult to design, implement, maintain and operate robustly
(that is, lots of things can go wrong)..
A school
or organization with lots of money and resources does not have much advantage over a
team at a school with very few resources. (Hopefully, a school with lots
of money and resources will be encouraged to use the extra money to include
more students in the robot program, instead of purchasing expensive robot
equipment.)
The other advantage is that contestants get to see a wide
variety of hardware and software at the contest and can be inspired to explore
new technology for a future contest. We encourage students to use any
innovative technology that is appropriate. Exploring new hardware or
software technology can be the basis for a research project.
Lastly, the ability to use a wide range of hardware and
software allows educators to flexibly integrate the robot contest into the curriculum
and achieve a wide range of educational objectives in a very cost-efficient
manner. (That is, a teacher can use the same robotics equipment to teach
physics, comp sci, or math as is used in Robo-Hoops). Ultimately, a
teacher or student is not forced to purchase new equipment to participate in
this contest.
I have monitored the robotic solutions of the contest over
the years and have seen no evidence that money/resources has a direct impact
on the success of the robots in the contest. Again, we would hope that
schools with a great deal of resources would be encouraged to use the money to
involve more students in robotics and integrate robotics into the math,
science, computer science, IT, and technology curriculum. Unfortunately,
there are some schools that do not have the minimum resources to sponsor a
team -- if you would like to sponsor a team, please contact the organizers.
May I place a chainsaw on my robot and attempt to
slice the opposing robot into small pieces? No.
A robot is not permitted to inflict damage on
another robot, however, pushing, blocking, and shoving is permitted (and encouraged.)
May a robot bump into the Plexiglas walls? Yes. The robot may use the walls to navigate. The walls should not be
damaged in any way. The front walls are at a different height than the
side walls to enable robots to
determine the particular wall section on which they made contact.
Why is the Junior Remote Control not a head-to-head
competition? There is no way at this time to completely eliminate the interference between
any 2 robot controllers using remote control. For example, if both robots are Lego Mindstorms RCX,
then the IR controller of one robot will affect both robots. However, if the
remote control technologies are isolated, we will attempt a few head-to-head
challenges. (We would also like to encourage the incorporation of
software and computers in the future robot designs. Remote-control is a
good place to start, but you should eventually move into an autonomous,
computer-controlled robot
design.)
Must I construct the entire arena in order to prepare
for this contest? No, one of the significant features of this contest is that it does not
require any sophisticated or expensive setup. For example, if you intend
to participate in the junior remote control division, then you only need to
buy a net ($7 at Toys-R-Us), tape it to a wall (or your refrigerator) so that
it is 12 inches from the floor or table top, get a foam ball, and run your
robot. For the autonomous robot you will need a source of incandescent
light which could be a $2 flashlight sitting on a pile of books. For
robots that will be sensing the black lines on the surface, then is useful to
simply tape together sheets of white poster board or white construction paper,
and apply black tape to the
paper sheets. Again, it is possible to practice for the contest using a
simple table top or floor. For most robot designs it is not even necessary to
setup an area the exact size of the contest arena. If you need to simulate
walls, pieces of shelving or stacked books will do. Keep it simple. See
"materials" section above for suggestions regarding components and materials.
How "original" must the robots be? The robots should demonstrate some original design, but it is permissible to
build an "original" robot using existing components that are integrated in an
original way. For example, it is permissible to use or modify an existing
robot platform or platform from an R/C car as the robot base. Existing
mechanisms such as arms, motors, sensors, etc. can be modified and added to
the robot. For example, the microprocessor is clearly an example of a
"component" or building block that is purchased and integrated into the
design, and not designed by the participants. This is the way engineers solve
problems in the real world. Basically, it is not necessary to build every
aspect of your robot from "scratch", but there should be some element of
originality and design. The main software logic will typically be designed
and implemented entirely by the designers, but the use of existing software
libraries is permitted. Bottom line: an "original" assembly, modification,
and integration of existing hardware and software components is allowed (and
even encouraged). Please contact organizers if you have any questions
concerning this policy.
What were
the major lessons learned from previous Robo-Hoops contests? Several of the robots suffered from "over design".
By that I mean that several of the robots were built with very complicated
mechanisms for picking up or shooting the ball, but many of these complicated devices were very unreliable and
required a great deal of time to construct. Generally, the simplest devices
were most successful. For this contest it is important to brainstorm many
ideas, and identify the simplest and most effective solutions. Also,
very few robots utilized any defensive strategy or considered interaction with
the opposing robot. A simple, reliable robot with good defense and
strategy can outperform a more "sophisticated" robot. Overall, there are
many strategy decisions that can be made to simplify the designs.
Is it a
disadvantage to have the same (or similar) design goals for a contest year after year?
No. There are many advantages to using the same or
similar design goals for a contest year after year: 1) the contest has been
designed so that there is no single design solution and students have an
opportunity to build on successes and failures from one year to another; 2)
the students have an opportunity to "reflect" on the design project throughout
the year and this experience is a realistic exposure to engineering in the real
world; 3) the open contest rules allow educators to integrate the
contest design into the curriculum in a very flexible manner, and 4) this type
of contest allows students to integrate the contest into science fair projects
or research projects.
Bob Avanzato
Associate Professor of Engineering
Penn State Abington College
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7358
email:RLA5@psu.edu
(c) Copyright 1995-2007 R. Avanzato
