Introduction

The purpose of the project is to give you experience in building and programing an intelligent robot.

Robo-Tag is a game for two robots. Two robots are trying to tag each other. The robot with the most tags wins the game. The robots drive around in a simple arena. A black line marks the edge of the arena. When one robot bumps into the other robot, it shouts “Tag” by sending a message out of its IR port. The tagged robot must sit still for a while, and then the game continues. The tagging robot must sing a song and have a "victory dance" (like turning in a circle), then add one point to its current score. Each robot has a bumper at its front to detect if the robot hit something. Each robot also has a downward pointing light sensor to detect the edge of the playing arena. When the light sensor “sees” the edge, it should backup a little, turn at an angle, and then resume by running forward so that it can stay inside the arena. Both robots will have two motor-driven treads.

This project will use subsumption architechure with the following 6 tasks in the program:

  • main - A simple task that every program must have
  • arbitrate - Decides which of the following 4 behaviors should be in control of the motors
  • cruise - Randomly moving about the arena
  • tag - Tries to tag the other robot and performs the "victory dance" after the other robot is tagged
  • tagged - Remaining stationary immediately after being tagged
  • avoid - Keeps the robot inside the arena
  • The Arena

    The challenge takes place in an arena of approximately 3 foot X 2 foot defined by black tape. There is also black tape in the arena which will represent obstacles.

    Robot Body

    You can choose any shape you want. Robots cannot be bigger than 8 inches X 8 inches. The IR port must be oriented parallel to the ground.

    Robot Programming

    Each robot tries to tag the other. After the victor tags its victim, it should increase its score by 1, sing a song, and do a victory dance for 5 seconds. The victim should sing a sad song and sit “dead” for 8 seconds. Then the two robots begin trying to tag each other again. Your robot should use subsumption architecture to coordinate its behaviors. Robots cannot go beyond the arena border and cannot break through the obstacles.

    Scoring

    Each team starts out with 100 points.

    Tagging the other robot

    10 points

    Leaving the arena

    -5 points

    Breaking through an obstacle

    -5 points

    Restarting your robot

    -5 points