Aim High
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Aim High was the name of the 2006 season FIRST game.
Contents |
Game Description
Aim High is played by two alliances, red and blue, each consisting of three robots. During a 10 second autonomous mode, robots will be programmed to score into any of the three goals: one raised center goal marked by a green vision target and two corner goals at floor level. At the end of the autonomous period, the alliance with the most points will gain a 10 point bonus and will be placed on defense for round two. Rounds two, three, and four, which are each 40 seconds long, are human-controlled rounds. Between rounds two and three, the alliances will switch from offense to defense, or from defense to offense accordingly. At the start of round 4, any alliance can score into their corresponding goals. At the end of the match, an alliance can receive bonus points by placing its three robots on a platform below the center goal. The alliance with the most points wins. Scoring will be as follows: 3 points for any ball scored in the center goal, 1 point for any ball scored in the corner goals; 10 bonus points for scoring the highest in the autonomous round; and 25 points for placing all 3 robots on the platform at the end (10 for 2 and 5 for 1).
Field Layout
The Aim High field has 6 goals and 2 platforms. Unlike previous years, an alliance's goals are on the far side of the field. The field is flat, measuring 54 feet long by 26 feet wide.
Alliance Station
The alliance station wall is 26 feet long and stretches the width of the field. In the middle 18 feet of the alliance station wall exists diamond plate aluminum from the floor to 3 feet high, with clear acrylic filling the rest of the 3 1/2 feet. The outer edges of the wall consist of transparent polycarbonate. Above each alliance station, there is a circular goal (the center goal), with a green light above it. The green light is used so that the CMUCam2 can lock onto it. On the bottom left and right of each alliance station, there are two rectangular holes (the corner goals) through which balls can be scored. In front of each alliance station there is a raised platform.
Tournament Structure
The tournament structure of this competition is the same as in previous years. In the regional comptitions, teams will be given access to their robots on the Thursday of the competition weekend. It is a day dedicated to practice, giving each team a number of practice rounds on the regulation playing field. Friday and the morning of Saturday is dedicated to a series of qualification rounds. Each team will compete in around seven to ten matches. The number of wins by a team in these matches determines the team's ranking.
Before the lunch break on Saturday, the top eight teams after the qualification rounds are asked to select an alliance of three robots. The order to this selection process goes in order from the top-seeded team to the eight seed. In contrast to previous years, the order reverses for the second selection round; the eighth seed picks first and then backwards in order to the first seed. This was instituted to make the finals more competitive and balanced compared to previous years.
After the lunch break, the finals take place. This is a standard-elimination tournament bracket, starting with alliance 1 facing alliance 8, alliance 2 facing alliance 7, and so on. At the end of the finals, the last remaining alliance is declared the winner and all three teams are given the right to attend the national competition.
Kit of Parts
There were several changes in the kit of parts this year,
- The inclusion of the National Instruments LabVIEW program
- CMUCam II, including a pan/tilt assembly with servos, designed to follow an illuminated target
- A new robot controller, based on the PIC18F8722, instead of the PIC18F8520
- New EasyC programming tool
- New, wider CIM motors with drive belts
- New, smaller Window motors
- A new, smaller and lighter backup battery charger
- An IR transmitter and reciever (for broken beam detection)
- And (probably the most surprising) a digital camera and Picasa software supplied by Google
Rules
Major Rules include:
- Intentionally damaging another robot or the playing field is not allowed.
- No balls may exit the robot at a velocity greater than 12 m/s (39 ft/s).
- The shooter mechanism must remain within the original starting dimensions.
- No part of the robot may ever extend more than 60 inches above the floor.
- If a robot is more then 60 inches high, and it blocks a ball from being shot, a 5 point penalty per ball will be assesed.
- Power supplies are limited to compressed air, a 12-volt motorcycle battery, a 7.2-volt RC battery, deformation of parts (such as springs), and potential energy due to gravity.
Robots
It is expected that many robots will launch the foam ball with a baseball pitcher mechanism or other shooting mechanism. These will consist of one or two spinning disks that will propel the ball through a barrel and into the goal. Other mechanisms to fire the projectiles might include pneumatic devices or catapults.
The game is a test of accuracy and efficient use of resources, such as the CMUCam, to make the largest scoring advantage.
Sources
- Kickoff movie hosted by NASA.
- 2006 game manual
