Challenge: Freestyle
In this challenge your robot needs to exhibit some "behavior". The specific type of behavior is up to you, anything goes - hence the name "freestyle": use your imagination to create a fun robot with interesting design and behavior. However, you do need to use the subsumption model with at least two different behaviors.
Here are some examples:
- A robot that moves in a random pattern. When it detects an obstacle ahead it avoids it.
- A robot that moves in a rectangular pattern. When it hears a loud clap, it switches direction.
- A robot that moves inside an area marked by a closed, black curve. When it detects that it is about to cross the line it moves back, always staying inside the area.
- A robot that moves inside a closed black curve. When it detects an obstacle inside the curve, it pushes it out. Also, if it hears a loud clapping noise, it plays a song.
- Two robots that will try to stay inside a closed, black circle and attempt to push each other out of the ring.
- A robot that moves closer to a detected light, but moves away from it when it gets too close.
Scoring
Your robot needs to exhibit at least two clearly recognizable behaviors. It should be clear which stimulus causes a behavior to turn off and another to turn on. If so, you receive 100 points.
10 more points will go to the "most innovative" or "most fun" behavior, as decided by the group.
Results from 11/19/2008
This challenge was the most fun so far (even though not all teams participated, again). Most teams implemented similar behavior, like "move", "turn", and "avoid obstacle", but some added more unique ones like "dance or "scared". Actually, that makes sense, since most creatures can move, turn, and avoid obstacles, but add a few unique behaviors to their repertoire. One team designed a regular-steering drive robot that was much larger then our previous ones, and it was fun to see that one 'attack' me. To my surprise nobody made use of the music/sound possibilities of the NXT even though it would be relatively easy and add character to the robot. Anyways, the robots were fun, and we split the 10 points among the participants.
We also had a great guest lecture by Michael Vigorito from the Psychology Department whose presentation included much food for thought and contained lots of possibilities for future robot design. He finished by pointing out how animals 'learn', which we did not get into at all in our course. And his presentation on Braitenberg Vehicles should be easy to implement on an NXT. Next time perhaps!
Score Team A: 103 Team B: 103 Team C: 103 Team D: 0 Team E: 0
Click here to watch the outcomes.