Two robots and their creator competing in the dance category.
Source: Museum Victoria
On Friday 14 August, Scienceworks was invaded by benevolent robots for the Victorian finals of the RoboCup Junior competition as part of National Science Week. Each year, RoboCup Junior stages battles between teams of students who build and program robots to play soccer, undertake a rescue or perform a theatrical or dance routine. A winning team is selected in each category on the strength of their robot’s performance and the rationale behind their design.
This is the first year that Scienceworks has hosted the competition, which began in Australia 10 years ago. Competition this year was fierce, with 220 students in 70 teams from 17 primary and secondary schools across Victoria from as far away as Moama, Bendigo and Warragul.
The dance and theatre competition is designed to integrate science, technology and the arts. Participants programmed their robots to dance to music and decorated their entries to give their robots real personality. Many of the students took an extra step and dressed themselves in colourful costumes to complement their robots.
In the soccer competition, students designed and programmed a pair of robots to compete against an opposing duo. The game of soccer is played with an infra-red transmitting ball which the robots must kick into designated goals. A round robin competition was held, culminating in exciting finals playoffs.
The rescue competition mimics the real-world application robots in rescues from dangerous situations such as collapsed buildings and chemical spills. Competing robots followed a winding line to the rescue area. On the way they encountered obstacles, bridges and short cuts. The robots had to find the ‘victim’ and push them to safety while the clock was ticking.
All three soccer divisions (Lightweight, Premier and Novice), the Senior Dance prize and the Senior Dance and Theatre prize were won by Bellarine Secondary College. Trinity Grammar School scooped the pool by winning both rescue categories (Junior and Premier). The Junior Dance Prize was won by Ruskin Park Primary School and the Junior Theatre and Dance Prize went to Patterson Lakes Primary School.
Winners in each section were awarded medallions, a trophy and a travel voucher to take them to the Australian finals at the University of New South Wales in September. Scienceworks congratulates all participants and sends good luck to the students who will represent Victoria in the national competition.