FIRST Robotics
Las Vegas Regional
Competition 2012
by Dave Graham
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magazine/article/august2012_Graham
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The Cashman Center in
Las Vegas, NV was
absolutely alive with
energy as 42 high school
student teams from
Arizona, California,
Colorado, Nevada, Utah,
Wyoming, and Mexico
came to town the first weekend in April for a high tech shootout in the
city of glitter. The contest would involve basketball-shooting robots competing
in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
Robotic Competition event known as
Rebound Rumble.
FIGURE 1. Rebound Rumble arena and balance bridges
with match in progress.
Rebound Rumble is played on a 27 x 54 foot arena
with various height baskets at each end. The middle of the
arena has three balance bridges (Figure 1). Teams
compete in randomly selected three-robot alliances.
Matches are two minutes and 15 seconds long. The match
begins with a 15 second hybrid period during which robots
operate autonomously. However, one robot from each
alliance may be controlled using a Microsoft Kinect during
this period. Robots are controlled by operators for the
remainder of the match (Figure 2) with the goal being to
score as many baskets for your alliance as possible.
There is a scoring matrix that awards weighted points
for baskets scored during the hybrid period and for the
height of the basket. Alliances may win additional points
for balancing on the bridges at center court towards the
end of the match. The competition continues with the
FIGURE 2. Competitors controlling their robots
from behind a Plexiglas wall.
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