Our Robot made the Finals - FIRST Robotics FTW - Video of Robot Soccer! EDIT:We're #1

[Analog]

I'm a mentor for a FIRST robotics high school team. Our robot made it all the way to the final round, but we lost 3-2.

This year's challenge is that the robots play soccer.


A huge effort - we're going to another competition this weekend in Ann Arbor, MI. Here is one of our matches, on youtube (team 2619):

BTW - skip to 2:00 for a neat surprise that only a few robots could do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ8gx7hrk3Q


We're ranked #1 in the state of michigan: (for now)
(Team 2619)

http://www.firstinmichigan.org/staticpages/index.php?page=2010_Results_Overall

 

[Arcadio]

Those robots look like cartoons.

BTW - skip to 2:00 for a neat surprise that only a few robots could do.

Reps. A robot that can blow with enough force to move an entire ship. Now that's something no other robot can do.

 

[Scouzer]

Those robots look like cartoons.



Reps. A robot that can blow with enough force to move an entire ship. Now that's something no other robot can do.

I couldn't figure out why I was watching a cartoon.

 

[Analog]

I couldn't figure out why I was watching a cartoon.

They're playing a game. Its three on three soccer. Red vs. Blue. Does that help??

 

[Leros]

I think you linked the wrong video.

 

[Analog]

I think you linked the wrong video.

Thanks, I was having some difficulties there, but I think its correct now. The URL and what I pasted were two different things for some reason.

 

[Leros]

Nice robot.

 

[Jeff7]

Darn, I hoped it was a contest for a robot to kill da wabbit.

 

[Jassi]

Ann Arbor? Awesome. Is the competition open to the public? If yes, where in AA?

I was a ref at a FIRST Robotics competition held at Wayne State about 5 years ago. Great kids, great competition and had a great time volunteering.

Forgot to say, congrats on a job well done!

 

[KeithTalent]

That was awesome! Congrats man! :awe:

KT

 

[Nik]

What's the point of the robot doing a pullup during soccer?

 

[thepd7]

It amazes me what those teams can do with a little hardware.

 

[Analog]

Ann Arbor? Awesome. Is the competition open to the public? If yes, where in AA?

I was a ref at a FIRST Robotics competition held at Wayne State about 5 years ago. Great kids, great competition and had a great time volunteering.

Forgot to say, congrats on a job well done!

Ann Arbor FIRST Robotics District Competition Dates: March 12, 2010 - March 13, 2010 Venue: Skyline High School Address: 2555 S. State Street
City: Ann Arbor

 

[Analog]

What's the point of the robot doing a pullup during soccer?

You get two extra points if you can lift yourself. Not sure why, it was just an extra challenge. BTW, if you can lift another bot, its an extra 4 points. Although I haven't seen any do so, or even have the hardware to do so.

 

[rasczak]

that was really cool! thanks for sharing analog.

 

[Number1]

Very nice. I was wondering what the wires were for on top.

Cool, good work.

 

[fustercluck]

I am amazed at what I just saw. This is like something out of a dream (like, a crazy dream where nothing makes sense). Also would like to see more of the dancing robot mascot.

 

[irishScott]

Congrats! Was a member of my own FIRST Robotics team for 3 years back in high school, Head Programmer and Co-President Senior Year.

To those who don't know, can't speak for all teams but the season is several weeks, from hell, to build one of those from scratch (although they give you a kit, you can use practically any 3rd party parts you wish, and almost everyone does). The rulebook for one of those matches is easily 50+ pages long (much more complicated than "playing soccer"), the teamwork is insane. Some robots specialize in one activity or another, and in the finals the politicking between teams in terms of matching specializations (there are always multiple ways to score, some robots even specialize in defense, although this isn't battlebots so the regulations are strict here) and records and everything is insane.

The challenge is completely different every year. In my time we built robots that stacked 3' tetrahedrons, picked up foam balls from the floor, stored, and shot them into 10' high goals... just awesome stuff. Forgot what we did my first year, but team management sucked then and the 8 seniors that monopolized it shut everyone else out; And this is in a public high school.

Best sport in the world IMO, and easily one of the top 3 things I've done in the last 10 years in terms of overall value and fun. Going to school for 10+ hours on a Saturday was never so awesome.

 

[jchu14]

Are these robots remote control driven or autonomous? Nice trick lol. It's like boxers raising their fist to the air after they've won.

 

[irishScott]

Are these robots remote control driven or autonomous? Nice trick lol. It's like boxers raising their fist to the air after they've won.

Both. There's an optional autonomous period at the start of each match where the robots are given a task to do independent of user control. Some teams, in favor of perfecting their in-game techniques, forgo this entirely. Some of what's required is incredibly complex for the level it's on (moving along a tracked colored line vs using a camera to spot landmarks vs dead reckoning based on court dimensions, let alone the actual task). Usually lasts a minute or so. After that the teams switch over to user control, and the controls schemes are as creative as the robots. Many teams modified game pads, basically any piece of technology with enough buttons that interfaces with FIRST's system can be found controlling a robot. My team even modified some safety glasses with colored LEDs to let us know when our robot was locked onto the goal to fire (camera was constantly tracking a green square on top of the goal and measuring corresponding alignment and range), albeit for a different challenge back in the day.

3 Robots to a team, each team side-by-side on opposite sides of the arena.

In the video when the bell rings is when they switch over to user control.

 

[irishScott]

Alright, last shameless nostalgic self plug I'll throw in: The Challenge my Senior Year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlADdmCAMB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7eEfWshXQ8

 

[Analog]

Congrats! Was a member of my own FIRST Robotics team for 3 years back in high school, Head Programmer and Co-President Senior Year.

To those who don't know, can't speak for all teams but the season is several weeks, from hell, to build one of those from scratch (although they give you a kit, you can use practically any 3rd party parts you wish, and almost everyone does). The rulebook for one of those matches is easily 50+ pages long (much more complicated than "playing soccer"), the teamwork is insane. Some robots specialize in one activity or another, and in the finals the politicking between teams in terms of matching specializations (there are always multiple ways to score, some robots even specialize in defense, although this isn't battlebots so the regulations are strict here) and records and everything is insane.

The challenge is completely different every year. In my time we built robots that stacked 3' tetrahedrons, picked up foam balls from the floor, stored, and shot them into 10' high goals... just awesome stuff. Forgot what we did my first year, but team management sucked then and the 8 seniors that monopolized it shut everyone else out; And this is in a public high school.

Best sport in the world IMO, and easily one of the top 3 things I've done in the last 10 years in terms of overall value and fun. Going to school for 10+ hours on a Saturday was never so awesome.

Glad to hear you liked the Robotics Team. It is a lot of work, but a lot of fun too. The challenge you mentioned in your senior year had some interesting complications.

Our robot can score in its autonomous mode, usually we get two to three goals before the humans take over.

 

[irishScott]

Glad to hear you liked the Robotics Team. It is a lot of work, but a lot of fun too. The challenge you mentioned in your senior year had some interesting complications.

Our robot can score in its autonomous mode, usually we get two to three goals before the humans take over.

Hey if you guys made finals and had autonomous mode working, mad reps. We were one of those who basically forwent autonomous mode. Made a few stabs at it, but time was such a factor (and on principle we refused to outsource any development or construction to professional sources like some teams) we basically spent all our time perfecting our user control mechanics. Never made the final match, but got damn close once.

 

[jalaram]

I took my (almost) 4yo son to the FIRST competition here in Manchester, NH. We saw 3 of the soccer games plus we saw two robots pull themselves up. That got them the first score over 10 on that day. We also walked around the pits to watch robots being worked on.

There was also some demonstrations of LEGO robots as we entered the arena. He got to push a button which started one of the robot demonstrations.

Not sure how much he understood, but he didn't get bored either.

 

[fustercluck]

you guys are smart