Robot marathons
LoopyByteloose
Posts: 12,537
Has anyone considered actually have robots compete in the 'wild'? For instance, just have a robot go all the way around a real city block, or take a loop through a public park.
For a competative context, coordinates could be given with GPS, monitors could be set up at each corner, and a map of the actual course could be provided. It might also help if the robots had blinking lights and a warning sound so that people could avoid them as equally well as they might avoid people and other obstacles.
For starters, a 'robot marthon' might be organized outside a regular indoor gathering as an added event. Sumo bots and line following competitions have gotten quite established, but actual navigation in the real world would allow one to really explore GPS, Xbee radio (to report difficulties), accelerameters, and compasses. I think the Parallax Stingray might be a terrific platform to this.
For a competative context, coordinates could be given with GPS, monitors could be set up at each corner, and a map of the actual course could be provided. It might also help if the robots had blinking lights and a warning sound so that people could avoid them as equally well as they might avoid people and other obstacles.
For starters, a 'robot marthon' might be organized outside a regular indoor gathering as an added event. Sumo bots and line following competitions have gotten quite established, but actual navigation in the real world would allow one to really explore GPS, Xbee radio (to report difficulties), accelerameters, and compasses. I think the Parallax Stingray might be a terrific platform to this.
Comments
Rich H
Not a single event in the Los Angeles area last year. Sure, it was the first year, but nothing in LA? Clearly the organizers need some help!
I could see several mall events. Pen off a big area and encourage people to turn their robots loose to interact with other robots and people outside the perimeter barrier. Like dog parks, you could have several areas for different size robots to minimize damage. Just make it clear that the intent is a peaceful robot petting zoo as opposed to robot wars!
Personally, I'd just like to make a few cross-country runs for development purposes in the real world. How else can we really learn to make robots that can cope with going anywhere?
Events just make the whole task more interesting and more creative.
John Abshier
Andriods on parade would be fun. We just had the Macys Thanksgiving Parade in NYC. But I suspect they just don't have the fuel cell to really cover some distance.
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD25hc9SvBQ&feature=related
2) http://www.robotika.sk/robotour/
Yes, as a matter of fact, we do! We are painfully aware of the lack of public events in LA last year -- one of the organizers had some contacts in LA he reached out to, but we weren't able to find anyone with sufficient interest/time/resources to pull something together.
So, are you volunteering? Drop me a line.
- Kristen Stubbs
(on behalf of the National Robotics Week Advisory Council)
Their event included sponsorship from DLink, provided very clear rules, and so on. These kinds of events are doable if approached in a well organized fashion.
In the meantime, I am considering getting out with my robots more often and doing field testing in the real world. I certainly don't thing you need a big robot or an all-terrain robot to have a successful event. If fact, I suspect that smaller platforms will be more inclusive of the average hobbyist.