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Student newspaper of the Illinois Institute of Technology since 1928

Illinois Tech Robotics competes at RoboGames

Kori Bowns
BUSINESS MANAGER

It isn’t too often that IIT students get
to compete on an international scale through an
extracurricular organization. This past weekend,
Illinois Tech Robotics (ITR) sent eight of their
members to San Mateo, California to partake
in RoboGames (formerly known as ROBOlymr
pics), the largest open robotics competition and
exposition in the world since 2004.

Through over 50 different competir
tion events and several exhibition opportunities,
RoboGames aims to open the world of robotics
to everyone across all fields within robotics, ich
luding mechanical and electrical engineering.
programming, sensor usage, and aesthetics. Ac7
cording to the RoboGames website, RoboGames
founder David Calkins “realized the need for
crossrpollinafi'on between evens, as too many
robot builders overrspecialized within a single
field."

Eventually, he realized that the best
way to bring all of the disciplines within robotics
together would be to create an largerscale event
that included all of themifrom the mechanical
expertise necessary in a combat robotics event
to the programming skill needed in small scale
humanoid soccer. RoboGames’s various come
petitions also include mazertraversing robots,
robot hockey, and an overall best of show come
petition.

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In addition to the wide variety of
events available, RoboGames is also open to
anyone who wishes to try their hand at the come
petition.

 

Regardless of education, age, or afr
filiation, everyone is welcome to bring a robot
to show off at RoboGames. Children often enr
ter RoboGames’s “Iunior League," which is only
open to competitors under 18, or they compete
on their own in the larger events with people
from a variety of backgrounds.

Some robots come as the product of
a large team of engineering students, and some
come from lone hobbyists who have picked up
robotics in their spare time. Additionally, Roe
boGames draws competitors from all over the
worldipeople from over 39 countries have
competed and have shared their experience
and ideas with representatives from all over the
world.

ITR’s choice of competition in the
2013 RoboGames was MechrWarfare, where two
small, servoractuated walking robots compete
headrtorhead against in a scaled down cityscape
by firing airsoft pellets at each other. Each robot
has impact sensors to detect how often they’ve
been shot, and the first robot to reduce his ope
ponent’s hit points to zero by shooting him is the
winner. Operators are able to command their
robots via remote control,- however, they are unr
able to observe them directly and must rely on a
wireless onrboard camera on the robot.

ITR’s entry, Mongol, was a four
legged entry, with each leg controlled by three
servo motors. Mongol was also equipped with a
firing airsoft cannon and a laser sight to assist
with aiming.

In Mongol’s first match, he faced difr
ficulties moving on the lowifriction floor and
ended up falling on his side twice, resulting in
losing the match by nine points. Mongol later
was knocked out of the MechrWarfare tournar
ment after an intense onerpoint loss. On the
bright side, Mongol remained a crowd favorite
throughout the day, drawing much attention
from spectators and wowing the crowd during
exhibition matches.

Overall, Illinois Tech Robotics had
a good trip, where students got to connect with
other robotics enthusiasm of all ages from all
over the world. RoboGames offered ITR the
opportunity to show off their own skills while
learning from others and growing as compel]?
tors.

 

Photos by Kori Bowns
Formore photos, turn to Page 5