[patrickrd]

Today is two days before we leave for Portugal. Our team is doing well. Everyone seems to be in good spirits, although we have a lot to do.

Mechanically, we had a major setback about two and a half weeks ago when our only CNC Mill went down. It took a week and a half before it was at all usable. One other team member and myself have been switching off, running the machine up to 16 hours a day. In fact, the machine is running next to me right now, as I write this update. The good news is that we already had 5 robots before the machine went down. Right now we are machining new parts for the robots. A new revision of most parts will be going on the robots this evening. There have been few mechanical problems with our robots this year.

Electrically, we have also had a number of setbacks. Our electrical system is very complex this year (see below). There have been many problems with wireless, motor/servo control, and board problems. Most of these problems our EE's have resolved, but it is still a very difficult system to keep up and running.

AI/Strategy/Control: We are quite behind. However, the important stuff (controlling the ball, moving quickly around field, shooting) is improving quickly. Our strategy has been implemented through simulators over the year, so that mainly done. However, we will want to tweak it to utilize new skills that our robots have, and based on the performance and capabilities of other teams.

Here is a list of new things that our team is adding to our robots this year:

- On board computer: Each robot has a 400 MHz processor on it, running windows CE. The robot uses compactflash for memory.

- Intelligence moved onto each robot: For the first time, Cornell is moving all the intelligence onto the robot. Each robot will independently have the capability to decide what to do. In the past, a computer off the playing field has made the decisions and sent commands to the robots. This year, the only computer used off the playing field interprets a vision camera, which looks at the playing field and determines where all the robots are and where the ball is. This information is sent to the robots over our 802-11 wireless system.

- Bluetooth wireless communication: Although each robot has the capability to independently decide what to do, the robots are also capable of communicating directly with any other robot(s) via a bluetooth local area wireless network. This is analogous to humans communicating with each other while playing soccer ("time", "pass here", etc...). This network is also used to send software updates to robots without the need to take them off the field. Of course, updating software is not allowed except during a timeout.

- Dribbler modification: We removed the side dribblers, which allowed us in the past to move laterally (sideways) with the ball at high speeds. This was removed due to rules changes. Instead, we designed a "notched" dribbler, which tends to keep the ball in the center of the robot. While it is in the notch we can rotate, go forward, backwards. However, moving laterally is not as effective.

- Proximity sensing: Each robot has two infrared sensors. The two beams scan the front of the robot. If we have possession of the ball in the notch, both beams are broken. If we have possession to the right of the notch, one beam is broken. If to the left, the other beam is broken. This allows us to know where the ball is with respect to the front of the robot. As a result, we can quickly move the robot to keep the ball in the center.

- Local robot camera. Each robot has its own camera, facing the "front" of the robot. The purpose of the camera is identical to proximity sensing, however the camera gives us more data (exact location of the ball). It can locate the ball anywhere in near the front of the robot. This allows us to control the ball with great precision. However, this technology was just implemented this past week and it is not clear how much we will be able to utilize it given we are leaving in two days.

- Chip kick: Our robots have the ability to kick the ball in the air. However, we have not yet implemented into our strategy. Our kicks are also more powerful.

- Brushless drive motors: Our robots can accelerate and move even faster than last year. Although we have not measured, the acceleration should be close to 1G (8 or 9 m/s/s) and max velocity can exceed 3 m/s.

- Goalie: We have developed a separate robot this year, designed specifically to be a goalie. This robot can intake the ball, bring it to the top of the robot via a belt system, and launch it to midfield via a solenoid-powered arm. This technology is also very new, so it is not clear whether we will be able to implement it at the competition.

- Strategy changes, to be announced.

Okay I've got to go, so that's my update. I may post one more before we leave for Portugal on Saturday.