RoboCup Overview 2010

Robocup 2010 Plan

Current System State

The existing system carrying over from last year provides a solid basis on which to continue development. The physical robot systems are capable of executing all of the basic tasks necessary for playing soccer, with effective motion and shooting control over the robots, and a reliable radio communication system. The software made a significant leap in capability during the 2009 Robocup season, with and is now a robust, modular system capable of performing all of the necessary behaviors to follow the rules of soccer, as well as executing basic basic top level soccer strategies. The software system also has a simulator system so that entire games of soccer can be tested without access to physical robots. The year cumuluated with the US Open competition in Cambridge, where the team trounced the Harvard/MIT team and survived more than a full half against the CMU team.

The area that the 2009 fell below expectations was in developing new system components, particularly in hardware development, where the robots were slightly improved versions of the 2008 robots. While some research and prototyping was started on the development of a new solenoid system, the system was not fully prototyped and ready for manufacture before the US Open. This was a part of a pattern of missed deadlines that is why a robot system was not ready for qualification to international competition.

Goals

Primary Objective

The team should have a team of robots capable of being competitive at the international competition in Singapore in July 2010, sufficient to advance beyond the group play stage of the tournament. This will require a number of new developments, particularly in the upper-level soccer strategy and tactics, as well as incremental improvements in the capabilities of the hardware platform.

Secondary Objectives

Improve Top-Level Play Execution The software team will need to develop the existing plays structure that it can perform more sophisticated planning and evaluation tasks necessary for playing a full game of soccer. This goal should include the following capabilities:

• Passing the ball between robots reliably.
• Creation of a set of plays/tactics that allow for variety in soccer strategy.
• Robust evaluation and switching between plays/tactics to adapt to the opponent.

Design and Construct Improved Robots The next design iteration for the robots should occur to improve the robots capabilities to bring them closer to those of the more competitive SSL teams. The new design should maintain, at a minimum, all of the basic capabilities of the existing robots, and should have the following specific improvements:

• Wheels should be equipped with encoders to allow for direct control of wheel speed, rather than the current system's use of vision to provide wheel speed feedback.
• The solenoid should be improved to attain the maximum allowable ball velocity.

Milestones

Fall 2009

• Nov 1st, 2009 - Robopalooza system ready for demonstration - 2009 robots need to be ready to run, and additional soccer AI should be in place, with a tested and demonstrable passing system and multiple functioning plays.
• Nov 5th, 2009 - Event: Robopalooza competition.
• Dec 11th, 2009 - Dead week - New robot prototype (with encoders and improved solenoid) should be ready for testing. Software system should be able to pass reliably and execute multiple plays in both 2009 hardware and software. First draft of TDP should be ready - with particular emphasis on planning of the full soccer AI system.

Spring 2010

• Last week of January 2010 - Robot platform prototype tested and ready for production of a team.
• Feb 1st, 2010 - Qualificiation materials complete and ready for submission - This includes the TDP and demo video.
• Mar 20th, 2010 - Confirmation with SSL of funding for travel to international competition.
• Mar 26th, 2010 - Spring Break - Full team of new robots constructed and ready for testing.
• May 7th, 2010 - Dead week - New robot team should be verified complete functional for use and in final testing phases. Software system should be feature-complete with the full planning and strategy system. All development at this point is testing and adjusting system.

Summer 2010

• May 2010 - Event: US Open: Full system should be ready for use in a comptition by this point.
• June 19-25, 2010 - Event: Robocup International Competition: All aspects of the design should be designed, implemented and tested by this point.