Acadia University Robot Programming Competition RPC FIRST LEGO

Acadia University Robot Programming Competition (RPC) FIRST LEGO League Tournament (FLL) Saturday, November 25, 2006

Overview l Goals and Motivation l Team Goals l Nov 25 – An Exciting Day! l The FLL Tournament l Robot Programming and Demo

Our Goals and Motivation To build interest and excitement in information technology and science l To encourage kids to create hardware and software solutions l To show why math is important l To create builders of technology and not just users l Learn how to work in teams l Ensure they are having fun while learning! l

IT Jobs are Again on the Rise

IT Jobs are Again on the Rise • 13, 000 new jobs created in 2005 [Stats Canada]

IT Jobs are Again on the Rise CNN – Feb 23/06: l l 3. 5 million IT jobs in US, above 2000 levels US job loss to off-shoring outpaced by growth in: l Research, product design l Software architecture and engineering l Project management l IT consulting l Misconception of CS by public biggest threat

Probable majors indicated by first year university students (Source: Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles).

Portion of Bachelour’s degrees granted to women (Source: Nation Science Foundation, USA -1999 not reported)

Team Goals for Nov 25 FLL: RPC: l Champion’s Award l Robot Design Award l Robot Performance Award l Project Award l Teamwork Award l Against All Odds Award l Team Spirit Award

Nov 25 – An Exciting Day! Date: Saturday, November 25, 2006 l Time: 1: 00 pm – 8: 00 pm l Place: Acadia War Memorial Main Gym l Web page http: //iitrl. acadiau. ca/fll 2006/ l

NOV 25 – An Exciting Day! 11: 30 am – Registration 12: 00 noon – Pit areas open 1: 00 pm – Welcome, Practice Rounds 2: 00 -7: 30 pm - Competition and Judging 7: 30 pm – Awards and Closing 8: 00 pm - Departure

Nov 25 – An Exciting Day! 12: 30 pm 1: 20 pm 2: 20 pm 3: 20 pm 4: 20 pm 5: 20 pm 6: 20 pm Floor Plan FLL RPC Practice Judging Line Tracking Round 1 Judging Maze Round 2 Judging Object Removal Round 2 Freestyle

FIRST LEGO League l l Zoom FLL Minnesota FLL "We want to change the culture by celebrating the mind. We need to show kids that it’s more fun to design and create a video game than it is to play one. ” Dean Kamen, Founder, FIRST

What is the FLL? l l l Alliance between FIRST and LEGO Guided by adult coaches, mentors and imaginations Students solve real-world engineering challenges, develop important life skills, and learn to make positive contributions to society Emphasizes teamwork, problem solving, research and learning 2005: 7, 400 teams in 31 countries

2006 FLL Competition Your team will be graded on the following: l Competition performance l Design and Technical Knowledge l Research Project l Teamwork

The Project l Identify a problem related to this years theme “nanotechnology” l Research the problem l Create a solution l Share your findings l Present your findings in a creative way l Songs, Skits, TV broadcast, etc.

The Project (cont. ) l Project Selection: Explore a current or potential application of nanotechnology, either from the Nano Quest robot missions or from another source. Learn what scientists are facing in improving upon the existing application or making the potential application a reality. Design an improvement for the existing nanotechnology, or choose a potential application that faces a challenge and solve it. Share your findings with your community. NOTE: Include all three parts of the project in the presentation in order to qualify for project awards at qualifying and championship tournaments: 1) Select a current or potential application of nanotechnology 2) Design a solution or improvement 3) Share your project with others Its length should be no more than five minutes, including setup time

The Competition This years theme in Nano Technology. l There will be 9 tasks to complete l l l l l Individual Atom Manipulation Smell Stain-Resistant Fabric Atomic Force Microscopy Self-Assembly Smart Medicine Nanotube Strength Molecular Motor Space Elevator

The Competition (cont. ) 2. 5 mins to complete as many tasks as possible. l RCX robots will be awarded fairness points according to how many tasks they complete. l

Individual Atom Manipulation l Move individual atoms accurately. The robot must remove at least 1 white atom from the blue surface without removing any red atoms. Counting atoms left on the surface, a count of fewer than 8 red atoms is worth no points. A count of 8 red atoms and 7 or 6 white atoms is worth 30 points. A count of 8 red atoms and 5 or fewer white atoms is worth 40 points.

Smell l Transfer molecules from the pizza toward the nose. The robot must get pizza molecules completely off the paper plate for 5 points each, and transferred to the yellow or black areas of the person’s head or neck for an additional 10 points each.

Stain-Resistant Fabric l Test some stain-resistant fabric. The robot must deliver the dirt trap to its location mark and completely dump out the tester’s dirt dumper. The dirt trap at its mark is worth 15 points, and the dirt dumper when empty is worth 15 points. The dirt pieces are Bonus Objects, worth 5 points each in the dirt trap, and 3 points each everywhere else on the table. When removing dirt for a Bonus Loss, the referee takes stray pieces first, then pieces from the dumper, and pieces from the trap last.

Atomic Force Microscopy l Free the probe’s nanotip. The robot must separate the nanotip from the material surface. The nanotip separated from the surface is worth 40 points.

Self-Assembly l Start the self-alignment of atoms. The robot must cause the angled blue nanotube segments to align horizontally end to end. This alignment is worth 30 points.

Smart Medicine l Target medicine to reach only a specific problem spot. The robot must release the Buckyball containing medicine into the person’s arm. The Buckyball is placed anywhere in the red/yellow channel of the arm bone is worth 50 points (even if it hasn’t reached the problem spot).

Nanotube Strength l Lift the truck by a thin cable of carbon nanotubes. The robot must move the truck onto the lift frame and activate the lift. The truck completely on the frame is worth 20 points. The truck and frame supported completely and only by the cable is worth an additional 20 points.

Molecular Motor l Deliver an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule to power a molecular motor, causing it to spin and release energy. The robot must deliver 1 of the 2 ATP molecules through the molecular motor’s black frame for 40 points (even if nothing else happens). The second ATP molecule represents a second chance to complete this mission, but points are only given for 1 delivered molecule.

Space Elevator l Operate the space elevator. At least one robot must cause the car with the yellow cargo to come down. If this mission is completed, no matter which robot or robots worked on it, both teams get 40 points.

Additional Rules l l l Points are given only if required results are still visible on the board after the match. Maximum number of players on a team is 10 not including coaches. Only two team members are allowed at the table during competition. The robot must complete task by itself. Must be programmed using provided software. For other rules see http: //www. firstlegoleague. org/default. aspx? pid=23720

More info on Missions? For more info go to http: //www. firstlegoleague. org/default. aspx? pid=23720 l All information and pictures were taken from www. firstlegoleague. org. l

LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics LEGO RCX LEGO NXT For more information see the Lego MINDSTORMS RCX website, NXT website

NXT Robot Programming Demo l NXT on-line tutorial l Move command Variables A loop Functions Line tracking Other … l l l

How to Prepare Coaches Handbook l CDs distributed with kits l On-line Resources l l Acadia RPC website l FIRST LEGI League US website l High Tech Kids Minnesota website

What to Bring on Nov 25 Your robot, parts and extra batteries l Your computer (laptop) and all cables l Your tables? l Your project materials l Cool team hats, shirts, outfits – score with the judges! l Some spending money – concessions l Your sense of humor l

What is happening today 9: 10 - RPC and FLL competition primer 10: 10 – Break (coffee, juice and cookies) 10: 30 – 10: 40 – NXT and RCX robots and programming tutorial (teams must have NXT Tribot and RCX Roverbot preassembled and have a computer) 11: 30 – Play time with robots and time to ask additional questions about competitions 11: 50 – Q / A

Questions? Jodrey School of Computer Science, Acadia University Wolfville, Nova Scotia +1 (902) 585 -1331 (school office) +1 (902) 585 -1067 (fax) http: //iitrl. acadiau. ca/rpc/ danny. silver@acadiau. ca