OVERVIEW
In this category, robots must perform search and rescue missions in open areas and with obstacles of all kinds. The participating robots will be evaluated in a series of individual tests designed to challenge their performance and their usefulness to response teams in cases of true emergency situations around the world. The best robot is the one that manages to obtain the most points in these tests.
Teams of a maximum of 12 people with the right to a place at the work table can be registered. Due to the level of difficulty of this competition, undergraduate and graduate students, professors and researchers can participate. Teachers who accompany the team and who wish to have a diploma that recognizes their participation in the event, but who do not require to be assigned a place at the team’s work table, may register as mentors. The registration cost of mentors is the same as that of contestants.
MODALITY
Face-to-face.
ABOUT THE RULES
The TMR RoboCup Rescue Robot competition is based on the official 2024 rules published for the RoboCupRescue Robot League, which can be found on the official https://rrl.robocup.org/rules/ page.
This category conducts comprehensive assessments involving essential tasks required by “emergency response teams” around the world. The arenas include a variety of reproducible terrains, with obstacles and tasks of increasing difficulty with the aim of challenging even the most capable robots.
The tests are divided into four areas: maneuverability, mobility, dexterity, and exploration, all with an emphasis on developing the autonomous and assistive behaviors necessary for remote operators to be effective and reliable in complex environments. Here’s a brief explanation of each type of test.
1. Maneuverability (MAN) refers to terrain that can normally be driven FORWARD and BACKWARD to demonstrate the bidirectional ability to move the robot with motor control, precise steering, etc.2
. Mobility (MOB) refers to terrain and obstacles that are normally too difficult to demand a particular driving direction. These are reproducible tests drawn from real-world situations that robots need to perform in emergency response operations.
3. Dexterity (DEX) refers to integrated manipulation tasks on various terrains and obstacles. They rely on linear rails with different types of objects to touch, rotate, extract, or inspect in multiple directions or orientations.
4. Exploration (EXP) refers to autonomous driving tasks within complex terrain to generate 2D and 3D maps of the environment while identifying objects of interest (Example: https://rrl.robocup.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/RoboCupCodes-01-50_postv2.pdf). The resulting maps are graded for accuracy and quality as if they were about to be handed over to an emergency response team for immediate use.
RESTRICTIONS
Remote operation stations ensure that robot operators cannot see it inside the test lane. No communication with the operator is allowed. They must receive all the information from the robot through their system interface as if the robot were inside a structure.
Each attempt by a robot lasts 20-30min. Such a test time limit is not intended to make it a race. Rather, there is enough time for a capable robot to demonstrate a statistically significant number of task repetitions. This provides a measure of reliability that the task can be performed.
This year, autonomous (and computer-assisted) behaviors will be encouraged to maneuver in complex environments without the guidance of the remote operator: without touching the interface at all times. Assist behaviors can use built-in sensors to help remote operators focus through obstacles, coordinate manipulator joints, or flippers to maintain contact with the ground. All these features help remote operators work more reliably.
The degradation of radio communications occurs within intact and partially collapsed structures. Assistive and autonomous behaviors are needed to improve the efficiency and reliability of robots that are operated from safe locations outside the structure. Scoring incentives will be offered to encourage teleoperated robots to work with intermittent and unpredictable wireless communications.
Cables (tethers) are always allowed because they can provide secure communications and continuous power to power the robot or recharge the batteries. The wires (considered as lifelines) can glow in the dark with arrows identifying the route the robot took. To prevent the robot from getting caught in obstacles, a system should be in place to wind the cables around the robot and act as a pulley when necessary. If the cables are dragged behind the robot within the test lanes, a helper can operate them from the entrance door to the arena or lane, not guide them over the walls, or enter the arena.
Robot restarts are allowed during testing to ensure a certain level of measurable success. A 2-minute penalty allows the robot to be safely transported and restarted in the previous end zone to continue. After the penalty, the test continues as usual. Talking to the operator is not allowed during the test, except to restart a robot. The operator or team member with the best view of the robot can declare a restart.
The local organizing committee will make every effort to provide the necessary elements for the competition. Once the event has started, the competitions will be held under the same conditions for all teams. All team leaders will be called to an initial meeting to clarify the rules and establish the foundations of healthy and fair competition for all.
RULES
The TMR RoboCup Rescue Robot competition is based on the official rules published for the RoboCup World Cup, which can be found on the official website https://rrl.robocup.org/rules/. There will be tests to assess the mobility, maneuverability, dexterity, navigability, autonomy, and ability to map and recognize patterns of the participating robots.
Rescue Robot Category Manager:
Alejandro Aceves López
email: aaceves@itesm.mx , aaceves@tec.mx
Local Leader:
Javier Colmenares Mendoza