TEHRAN: Whether it is 11 players on a pitch or four football playing robots, Germans often win — but it was Iran who triumphed in the RoboCup in Tehran at the weekend.
In a spectacle that could be considered a laughable distraction if not so  much work was involved, the annual event drew international competitors who see  the tournament as a test laboratory for human robotics.

On green felt carpet five teams — three German, one Dutch and one Iranian  — competed in the RoboCup’s 9th edition, with the robots strutting their stuff  in two 10-minute halves, trying to prod a red ball into the back of their  opponent’s net.

At just 60 centimetres (24 inches) tall, the key factor in the matches was  that unlike simple everyday electronic games the robot team is programmed ahead  of kick-off.

“The robots are completely autonomous — we don’t have any control on the  game and they take their own decisions,” said Novin Sharhoudi, 20, a student of  software and computer engineering at Qasvin Azad University, northwest of  Tehran.

And unlike professional sport in which money can buy the best players and  influence outcomes, all the RoboCup teams used identical machines designed by  Aldebaran Robotics, a French company that also provided raw technical data for  the programmers.

“We process the data to improve locomotion, perception of the  infrastructure and behaviour,” said Sharhoudi, referring to how and when the  robots move, kick the ball and interact with team mates across a playing  surface six metres long and three metres wide.

Each robot is equipped with two cameras — one on its head and one on its  chin — with which it views the ball and communicates with team mates via  wireless networking.

Despite victory for the local MRL (Mechatronics Research Laboratories)  team, there was talk of a not completely level playing field, given that daily  life is still heavily clouded by international sanctions imposed on Iran as  punishment for its disputed nuclear programme.

“We don’t get all the upgrades, we can’t buy robots or some components and  the company was not in Tehran during the event so we can’t repair the robots,”  said Sharhoudi.

And just as in the beautiful game itself, no plan survives the opening  whistle. Jonas Mende, of team HTWK from Leipzig, Germany, saw his robots bump  into each other and their opponents, falling over and requiring “time out” on  the sidelines before a return to action.

 Mende was also surprised about the improvements made by the MRL team.

“Iranians have made good progress since last year. We are now on the same  level and they are our main opponents,” he said, noting how the MRL team’s  weekend victory came after a third place finish behind world champions Bremen  and Leipzig at a recent tournament in Germany.

But for professionals who take part in RoboCup, the football tournament is  just one activity that can benefit their research and lead to better design and  movement in future software programs.

“They develop lots of skills that can be used in other areas,” said Patrick  de Kok, of the NAO Dutch team who took part in Tehran.

“Finding a ball is not only for soccer but can help to find a specific  target during rescue operations,” he added, referring to searches of  contaminated and dangerous places.--AFP
By New Strait Times

 

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