Student Robotic Competition
10th International Conference on Robotics
& Remote Systems for Hazardous Environments
University of Florida Hotel & Conference Center, Gainesville, FL March 28 - April 1, 2004
Overview
Competition Description and Rules
Mechanical Description
Registration Form
Prizes and Travel SupportFrequently Asked Questions
Contact Information and Directions
Related Links
Overview
The scenario for the competition is as follows: An accident has occurred in a spent nuclear fuel processing facility. During the hasty evacuation, three vessels containing spent nuclear fuel were left in a small remote room. The doorway into the room has been blocked, but an air duct allows access into and out of the room. The room contains furniture and some debris. Your mission is to enter the room, recover and enclose the three vessels, and remove them from the area (to be disposed of properly without human exposure to the environment). The robotic designs can be autonomous or teleoperated (additional points will be assigned to autonomous robots). A wireless camera and monitor will be made available to teams. The camera is small and can be attached to the robots by using velcro.The robot competition is expected to attract between 5 and 10 teams from high schools and universities across the country.
The students that participate in the competition are expected to receive many benefits. Some of the benefits include:
Awareness of the many areas of technology and of the interdisciplinary approach required for robotics.
Awareness that not all problems in robotics are solved.
The challenge to think creatively about technology that is still underdeveloped.
Teamwork with the purpose of deciding on and then arranging common goals through individuals specializing in different engineering practices.
Involvement in a long-term project where organization, goals, schedules and interdisciplinary activities are necessary.
Preparation for industry, where hands on, practical experience is very beneficial.
Competition Description and Rules
The general rules of the competition are as follows:To emphasize safety with this and all other robot applications, the classic Three Laws of Robotics from Isaac Asimov should be employed:
A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
This competition has been designed to emulate a teleoperated or autonomous robotic mission. Both navigation and manipulation tasks will have to be accomplished from outside the "hot room" with no direct line of sight to any of the contaminated articles that need to be retrieved. Use of a tether, robot autonomy, performance, and the total time it takes to accomplish the mission will all be reflected in judges' scoring of individual teams. Each team will be given two opportunities to run the mission, with a maximum time limit of 15 minutes for each attempt.This is a student competition: each robot entered in the contest must be designed, assembled, tested and operated only by a team of undergraduate or high school students. Only students are allowed to present their work, answer questions from the judges, and operate machines during the competition. Each team of students should appoint a captain, who would be responsible for discussing rules or questions with the judges during the competition.
Each team may have one or more advisors representing the faculty of the university or school that they have come from. Before the competition starts, the advisors present may represent their students in matters of rules and organization of the competition. After this time, however, advisors can only act as coaches and may communicate with the students from the sidelines when appropriate.
Before the day of the competition, all teams must submit a document that summarizes the project and robot that they will be using in the competition. This is not a full report, but rather a brief (7-10 page) document that should include the following information:
Their school or organization of origin, team members and robot name (if any).
The robot they have developed and the key technologies and features behind it.
A brief summary of the budget and resources used in the development of the robot.
Photographs or renderings of the robot.During the course of the competition, judges, meeting attendees and other aspiring engineers will be buzzing around to see what it is the students have created. The students will be allowed to present their robots during a session of the conference. A judge will approach each team and ask brief questions about the project, paper and approach taken. Photographers will also be present to record the event. Each team will have a given area where they can set up their robot for display. Here, we ask that each team provide a poster-sized panel that provides onlookers with the pertinent information about the teams organization and robot. A team member should be available to answer questions to judges and other interested people. Points will be given to the teams on a discretionary basis based on the overall design and approach used. Solutions that are especially clever or elegant will be rewarded here!
The mission is to start in the operations room. Robots must enter the hot room through a duct having the internal dimensions (3 ft. x 3ft. x 6ft.). The duct connects the hot and operations room. Once the robot has entered the ready room, it must recover and enclose the three contaminated vessels and exit the room. At least two standard power outlets will be made available to students in the operations room. Adjustments and changes cannot be made to the robot or device outside of the ready room after it has started its mission. If a tether is used, its management may be conducted by a person from inside the operations room, as long as it does not interfere with the operation of the vehicle (no tugging the robot out by a tether). The robot will be timed from the moment it starts to leave the operations room to the moment it completely re-enters the operations room. The robot must completely enter the hot room in order for a score to be given. The target weight of the robot is <50 lbs. Robots weighing in excess of 50 lbs will be assigned a weight penalty.
The objects that require retreiving are:
Object A will be a 6 ounce can of Hunts tomato paste which is approximately (2-1/16 inches in diameter and 3-3/8 inches tall).Object B will be a 1 pound bag of Mahatma rice. The plastic bag that contains the rice (with the rice removed) has the dimensions 4.5" x 8.5" when you lay it flat. If you can not find such a bag, I suggest that you get a Zip-Loc bag or similar and modify it such that it has these dimensions when laid flat. Then fill it with a pound of rice. During the contest the bag will be standing on end and is approximately 5-1/8 inch tall. The diameter is irregular and is approximately 2-11/16 inches.
Object C will have a weight no greater than 1 pound and will fit in a rectangular box having the dimensions 6" x 6" x 5".
Points will be awarded as follows:
A. Collecting Object A 5 points B. Collecting Object B 5 points C. Collecting Object C 10 points D. Exiting the Hot Room 5 points E. Enclosing 1, 2, or 3 objects 3, 6, or 9 points, respectively F. Judges Input 0 to 15 points G. Autonomous (Non-teleoperated) Operation 0 to 15 points A, B, & C. Collecting Objects refers to a situation in which the robot has removed the object from direct contact with the floor. The robot can not leave behind any items in the hot room that were not originally in the hot room prior to the start of the mission. It is acceptable to not collect all the objects.
D. Exiting the Hot Room: The robot has not completed its mission until the time has expired or the robot has completely entered the hot room and completely exited the duct that connects the operation and hot room. Points will be subtracted based on the amount of time required to complete the mission. Time will start when the robot enters the access duct and will end when the robot completely exits the duct. The time penatly will subtract 1 point for each minute the robot is attempting to complete the task, up to a maximum of 15 points. The mission will end 15 minutes after starting.
E. Enclosing of an object means that it is contained within the robot but out of visual sight when inspecting the robot in the operation room, after the mission. It is possible for an object to be collected but not enclosed. A mission can be completed without collecting all three objects and without enclosing them.
F. During the afternoon session on Monday, March 29th, a panel of judges will view the robots on display and will assign points based on their overall opinion of the design. The review criteria will be largely based on the technology, ingenuity, robotic features, presentation, etc. The highest possible mark awarded is 15 points and the lowest is zero points.
G. Missions like this often carry levels of autonomy to assist the remote operator. We encourage and will reward those who use any level of autonomous operation such as path planning, object (vessel) recognition or other low level control. The highest possible mark awarded is 15 points (a completely autonomous robot) and the lowest is zero points. The points will be assigned by the panel of judges.
H. Weight Penalty: A weight penalty will be assessed for any robots weighing in excess of 50lbs. The weight penalty will be 1 points for each 5 pounds the robot is overweight. For example if the robot weighs 71 lbs, the weight penalty is 5 points.
Total Score = A + B + C + D + E + F + G - Time of Completion (minutes) - Weight Penalty
Although the room is cluttered with a few items, there may or may not be a direct route to the contaminated vessels that is clear of obstructions. The floor surface is carpeted (not very plush) and may have a step no larger than 3/8 inch. Practice runs will be allowed only in the morning session on Monday, March 29th in the competition area. Teams are encouraged to build their own mock-up based on the supplied drawings in order to practice the event before they arrive in Gainesville. On Tuesday, March 30th each team will be given two attempts with a maximum of fifteen minutes to run the mission each time. The best score from the two trials will be used.
To be eligible, entrants must be graduate or undergraduate or high school students currently enrolled at an school or university. Also, each entry must be sponsored by a faculty advisor (i.e. professor). Entry as teams is highly encouraged. Advisors may sponsor more that one team if they desire.
The goal of this competition is to display robotics capability and skill and not brute force. Therefore, designs that are specifically intended to damage or destroy another robot or the playing surface are prohibited. Also, robots may not permanently alter or damage the playing surface in any way.
Entrants are responsible for their own safety and safety equipment if needed. Robots are required to pose no safety hazards to entrants, officials or observers. Any robot deemed hazardous by the officials will be disqualified.
All robots must be autonomous or teleoperated.
Each robot must fit within a volume one cubic meter in its starting configuration.
The ANS Robotics and Remote Systems Division and the University of Florida assume no financial or organizational liability through their rolls in the sponsorship of this competition.
Each entry must be self-sufficient, i.e. entrants must provide programming, power supplies, batteries and any other necessary equipment to operate their robot. Facilities will be provided for set up and adjustment that will include 110 Volt receptacles, tables, and camera. A wireless camera will be made available to the teams competing in the competition. The camera will be shared by each team and can be manually attached or detached from the robots by using Velcro. The camera will transmit a signal to a receiver that will be displayed on a monitor available in the operations room. Teams have the option to use the camera provided, or use their own camera, or not use a camera at all. The camera provided will be similar to that described in the following websites. The specific camera to be used in the competition will be specified shortly.
http://www.youcansave.com/webcamsv.asp
http://www.x10.com/home/offer.cgi?LND272,../msnkwtxt1.htm?|wireless_camera
http://www.xoomdigital.com/a3/?rid=59&acode=&code=xd6wxp0729&publisher=&transid=Decisions made by the competition judges are final.
In the event that fewer than five entries are received by February13, 2004, the organizers reserve the right to cancel the competition and refund all entry fees.
Each robot must include a shut down mechanism or switch to remotely de-activate the robot.
Mechanical Description
The competition will take place in the Cypress Room on the first floor of the Hilton Conference Center, Gainesville FL. A top view of the room is shown in the figure below.
Prizes and Travel Support
1st Place Prize $1500
2nd Place Prize $500
3rd Place Prize $250
Best Technical Report Prize $250
Participant Travel Reimbursement $2200Approximately $2200 will be made available to help support travel expenses for participants of the competition. The monetary amount provided to each team will be distributed depending on the number of teams entered.
Note: Prize amounts and travel reimbursement are subject to change based on available funds.
Schedule
Monday, March 29th, 2004
The competition room will be available on Monday, March 29th from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm for practice runs.
From 3:00 to 5:00 pm, the robotic displaying/poster session will take place in the Cypress Room. Judging of the robots will also take place during that time. At least one member of each team will be required to be present to answer questions about the robots during that time.Tuesday, March 30th, 2004
The competition will take place on Tuesday March 30th in the Cypress Room starting at 9:00 am. Teams will be allowed two trials to complete the mission. Scoring will be based on the best score of the two trials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) Do we have to be a recognized ANS chapter to register or can anyone register?
A1) You do NOT have to be affiliated with the ANS to participate. Anyone is welcome.Q2) Where can we find Mahatma Rice (for test purposes)?
A2) If you cannot find Mahatma rice, send me your mailing address and I will send some to you. The intent of specifying a brand was to ensure that all entrants could practice under identical conditions. We feel that any brand of rice in the same size and shape of container will do.Q3) Can compressed air be supplied to the robot via a tether?
A3) Tethered compressed air will be allowed. Any team who desires to use compressed air must provide their own source. The source is to be portable and as small, inconspicuous and quiet as possible. Also, only 120 VAC power will be available to power any compressor. This meets the intent of the rule that electrical power and automation must be self contained.Q4) Can you please better define the distinguishable differences Object C and
the random debris?
A4) The random debris will consist of chairs and tables, randomly dispersed in the room. Robots may move the objects or the debris as needed. It is not anticipated that moving the objects will be necessary to achieve the mission.Q5) How is the border to the "restricted area" and duct defined(2x4, colored
tape, etc)?
A5) The restricted region will be marked off with tape. It is not recommended that the robots enter this area. If a robot accidentally enters the restricted region, it must immediately leave along the path it entered. Although there is no penalty to enter the restriced region, there is no advantage to doing so. If a robot enters the region and remains there for longer than 30 seconds, the mission for that robot will end and the attempt will not be counted in the competition.Q6) Who do we make the ckecks out to?
A6) Please make the checks out to: Christopher NiezreckiQ7) Does each contaminated vessel have to be contained separately or can they all be placed in the same container?
A7) They can be placed in the same container.Q8) What are the colors of the carpet and the tape?
A8) The color of the carpet has a wide variety of colors and patterns. The tape will be duct tape that has a grey color.Q9) Does the restricted area tape stop at the duct entrance/exit, or is it continuous? The restricted area will stop at the duct entrance. It is not continuous.
Q10) Does the duct sit in such a way that its opening into the room is in the hot area and does not have a restricted area in front of it?
A10) There is no restricted area between the duct entrance and the hot room.Q11) Is it possible that we may obtain a sample of the tape, or learn of its type so we may purchase some for experimentation purposes?
A11) Use grey duct tap.Q12) Does the weight requirement include the contaminated vessels in the robot?
A12) The weight requirement does not include the contaminated vessels or the camera that will be provided.Q13) Can more than one team member be in the operations room controlling the robot during the mission?
A13) YesQ14) Will the operations room be fully enclosed and what material will the wall structure be?
A14) The operations room will not be enclosed. The wall will have a door separating the operations and hot room. The remainder of the wall is made of unknown construction materials.Q15) What will the wall structure surrounding the hot room be?
A15) Not sure, although the room is a standard conference room.Q16) Will spectators be able to see into the hotroom?
A16) Most likely, but this is not guaranteed.Q17) Will the three contaminated items be in the same place for every team?
A17) Yes. But it will be different for each of the two trials.Q18) Will there be a minimum clearance of 1 cubic meter around EVERY OBSTACLE AND CONTAMINATED VESSEL so as to manuver into position to retrieve items?
(i.e. contaminated vessels will not be under chairs, placed next to walls or in corners)
A18) The contaminated vessels will not be placed under obstacles. They will not be placed in a corner. One of the three objects may be placed against the edge of the restricted region (placement will be determined on the day of the competition). None will be placed at the corner of the restricted region.Q19) Have you decided which camera and monitor will be made available for use in the operations room during the competition?
A19) The selection of cameras will be made at the end of February and will be posted at that time.Q20) What is the lighting in the room? (i.e. Fluorescent lights, sun light, etc.)
A20) Flourescent lightsQ21) Does the robot have to reconfigure to its starting size after it has completed its task? (i.e. fit into one cubic meter again?) (This is assuming that the robot is still small enough to go back through the duct.)
A21) At the begining of the mission the robot must be contained within a space of 1 cubic meter (1m x 1m x 1m). Once the mission begins and after the mission is over, the robot does not have to be contained in this volume. Keep in mind that the access duct has cross sectional area of 3 ft. x 3 ft.
Mail the Checks and Registration form to:
Christopher Niezrecki
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Florida, 231 Aerospace Building
P.O. Box 116250
Gainesville, Florida 32611-6250
Contact Information and Directions
For questions about the competition contact:
niezreck@ufl.edu
Christopher Niezrecki
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Florida, 231 Aerospace Building
P.O. Box 116250
Gainesville, Florida 32611-6250
Phone: 352-392-8494
Fax: 352-392-7303The competition will take place in the Cypress Room on the first floor of the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center, Gainesville FL. Directions can be found at: http://www.ufhotel.com/
- 10th International Conference on Robotics & Remote Systems For Hazardous Environments
- UF Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics