Never have our robots been this far from Hamburg: This year’s RoboCup World Championship takes place in Hefei, China. Driving by car this would mean a five-days drive, without break!

Our team members have it a little easier and take the plane, but the trip will still take about 30 hours, including an eight hour stay in Shanghai. We hope there won’t be delays, which wouldn’t be unlikely with this lenght and route of flight (Hamburg ✈️ Paris ✈️ Shanghai ✈️ Hefei).

The longest flight lasts eleven and a half hours, from Paris to Shanghai. At one point they flew in some distance to Hamburg:

But we can already celebrate a special achievement: As much as 13 team members will be taking part in the RoboCup World Championship in China. For a long time it was uncertain, as usual, wether we’d be able to participate at all. Being supported from within the university and from the outside made this possible. We provide one person each for the TC and the OC, for those the attendee fees were dropped. Also on of our team members will give a lecture about our platform Hambot and received special funding. (Costs for food and accommodation are payed by each member, as usual)

We stay curious when our team members will report again — and if yet still a typhoon disturbs the flight schedule.

Better late than never:

Of course we arrived safely in Hamburg. On Sunday we had watched both final games: The FUmanoids managed to score a regular goal in the final match against the russian team Photon, and became kings of the (artificial) gras with a 1:0! The final in the SPL league was also worth watching, the match was quite tactical, but on well-tried carpet. Here the B-Humans beat the team from Leipzig 3:1.

Meanwhile most of us problably caught up on sleep and what else we missed.

For that, we acquired (hopefully) nice experiences. On the one hand we now know what a scientific challenge artificial turf is, and are collaborating with other teams in our league. We are already working on reproducing a foot prototype with three points resting and pressure sensors which was developed at the University of Boston, so that we will work with one of those in China. It will be played on similar artificial turf there.

On the other hand it’s great to experience the sense of community when we cooked, and ate together or were tiredly fooling around. To experience the rush before a match, when everyone tried to put their changes on the robots. The excitement and anxiety during the match, if everything will work as planned.

We still have a lot to do until we fly to China, but are excited for the German Open next year in Magdeburg.

We all worried, hoped, worked and programmed, but still: We didn’t make it to the semi-final.

During the day we played against the Fumanoids and the WF Wolves.

 

We didn’t lose in a regular match, all round robin games ended 0:0, that’s why a penalty shootout took place.

To ensure a decision was made, the rules were changed: The goal was placed slightly to the right, so that no robot would have to walk over the line where two pieces of grass met, which posed a problem for all teams.

Additionally the procedure was set to five rounds: First a normal penalty kick was required, in the second try it was allowed to walk through the penalty area, in the third the point was to move the ball furthest towards the goal, in the fourth to move furthest in the direction of the goal, and in the last to move furthest.

The first round went eventless. In the second round the Fumanoids, the Bold Hearts and Photon managed to get the ball into the goal. The Wolves used their big robot, twice the size of our Darwins, which managed to walk further in the fourth round, while Tamara fought against the artificial turf and got stuck.

 

It’s slightly irritating that we performed better in the matches and managed to touch the ball, which not all teams did, but well.. .

We are going to be referees for the remaining matches, and will be concentrating on being able to walk on artificial turf in China.

Today we saw our worries from the last two days confirmed, the artificial gras is an extreme challenge for all teams. It is very difficult to stand up on it, not to mention walking on it. Although progress was made by the teams the round robin matches of today all ended with a score of 0:0.

 

What a day!

Before noon it was quietly yet. Different features like recognising the ball and goals were tested and improved, the optimised animation for standing up was tested (standing up from the front works quite well), just walking was making difficulties.

After a referee training, where referees-to-be were taught the rules, our first match began: A friendly game against the Fumanoids.

The game endet 0:0, the Fumanoids had noticeable problems with the turf, and our way smaller Darwins were as able to walk as a three-year old in a bouncy castle full of twelve-year olds.

 

It became clear to us: We wouldn’t be able to walk on the artificial turf that way. After a team meeting, in which everybody suggested ideas, a group went to the hardware store. Back in the hall crafting began, one team of us attached spikes to Tamaras feet, another tried sliding shoes on Wilma, the third tested rubber mats.

As matters stand, the studs (spikes) work best (and are football-alike!) Till the late evening we worked, and today we’ll see if the concept works out.

Standing up from the back doesn’t work on the turf, but we had an animation for rolling over, so we got that going for us.

Hambot is now able to stand and is currently learning to walk. Due to his height the turf wouldn’t be a problem for him, that’s why we are increasingly working on it.

 

We have mixed feelings for the first match at 13:15 against the team “Photon”. On the one hand, the change of rules this year will be painful for the teams, on the other hand such conditions make room for innovations.

Since 9am the first group of us entered the hall. The artificial turf to be played on was examined immediately:

Afterewards we were setting up the team area:

After all boxes were unpacked, all Computers were set up and wired, and all of the food was stored in a shelf, it was time for the first team meeting, at which we discussed what was to do, and who’d deal with what.

Especially the artificial turf will be challenging to stand up and walk on, ad well as recognising the white ball and the white goals.

Everybody arrived safely in Magdeburg!

After storing all of our stuff in two rented buses – both having a lot of storage space – we left for Magdeburg at 1 pm.

Four and a half hours later, with a stop at a fast food restaurant, we reached our destination. Since the booked sleeping place had burned out, we were accommodated at three holiday apartments, with more space than we’re used to, even with a dishwasher and a washing machine!

A few people went grocery shopping, then we prepared food together, which was to everyone’s liking.

A last team meeting, and now everybody is working despite the lateness of the hour, either on the robots or the code, while we’re excited for tomorrow.

Breathless suspense. Our pulse is not back to normal yet. After we had lost narrowly against the Fumaoids in the semi-final (0:1), we competed against MRL in the match for third place.

Having the third place in plain view, which would be our best performance at the Iran Open so far, we were quite excited as well as nervous.

After normal time neither side had scored, so a penalty-shootout began.

Tamara made it 1:0 at the first try, MRL didn’t manage to score, and both second tries missed as well. On third try Tamara scored again, and after a fourth round it was clear: We won 2:0!

We keep our fingers crossed for the Fumanoids in the final!