Robosoccer
Kicking Artificial Intelligence
Slovenia is not generally known as a football superpower, but when the players are replaced by computer-guided robots it becomes a whole new ball game. It seems that robots are starting to give real football players a run for their money – robot football teams now have their own football fields, trainers, and league! Although this scenario may seem confined to the arena of science fiction, robot football has even reached Slovenia, whose team is regarded as one of the world’s finest. The 2005 FIRA (Federation of International Robosoccer Associations) European Championships were held in June at the University of Twente in Enshede (Netherlands). European universities have been organizing annual robosoccer championships since 1998, providing venues for their robots to take on other European teams. This year, the Slovenian team from the Faculty of Electrotechnics, the Ljubljana Dragons, competed in three different categories – 5 v 5, 7 v 7 and 11 v 11 – and finished runner-up in each, adding to an already impressive list of honours. Professor Drago Matko initially suggested forming a Slovenian robosoccer team in 2000 and preparations were soon underway; the robots were developed, as were their playing strategies and guidance systems and their first game – against Vienna Technical University – was arranged. It took a year to fully realise the robotic team, yet it was well worth the wait – their early success signalled the beginning of many more to come, including those at this year’s FIRA European Championships. The Ljubljana Dragons’ support crew or ‘coaching staff’ consists of two active members, along with several university students, who are vital to the robot’s functioning, shaping their every move, so to speak. This year’s championships was the first time they competed in the ‘big’ 11 v 11 category. Because of the lack of an adequate playing field, which measures 4.4 m by 2.8 m, they had to simulate the majority of practice trials. What does robosoccer look like? The robots are crafted to play independently, so once they’re on the field, they’re on their own. But before that moment comes along, lots of hard work is put in by the ‘coaches’ who develop the technology and applications that make the robotic games possible. Surely difficult for the layman to fully understand, the main concept is that the robots are led by cameras that relay images to computers which then interpret them and plan their every move based on an analysis of the playing situation (positions of players, football, etc). Each team has their own technology and cameras and a number of demanding tasks, such as calibrating cameras, setting up computers and testing lighting conditions, have to be carried out before kick-off time. While the robots were resting or training, the support crew enjoyed the scenery of Enshede, envying the green campus and exploring the local nightlife, where they had a chance to meet and talk to other teams about their robotic passions. The Slovenian team is well known internationally in robotic circles and their successes are met with enthusiasm both home and abroad. Robosoccer has been developing since the 1980’s and it’s not all fun and games – the development of algorithms and artificial intelligence are some of the main fields that robosoccer helps to expand. Robotic soccer teams are complex and challenging test applications, whose technology can be applied in many other fields – for example, robot scouts that traverse dangerous terrain and robot rescue teams. Robosoccer is also an interesting and exotic way to entice students into the field of electrotechnology. So let’s all keep ‘digits’ crossed for the Ljubljana Dragons and their robotic counterparts and wish them further success.
Author: Tina Lipuscek, Source: The Slovenia Times, PAGE: Leisure, ISSUE: 33 - 24 Jun 2005