News

'Indiana Jones meets Robo Cop' in Lederle G.R.C.

By Matthew Reid, Collegian Staff

December 13, 2004

Room A307 of the Lederle Graduate Research Center will be transformed into an Incan maze this afternoon, as part of a robotics competition described as "Indiana Jones meets RoboCop."

The competition is the culmination of Computer Science 403, Introduction to Robotics course at the University of Massachusetts. Students in the class have been working all semester to program small robots, called AmigoBots, to perform complex motion and behavioral actions that allow the robots to remotely navigate a maze.

The class is taught by Oliver Brock, assistant professor in the department of Computer Science and co-director of the Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics.

The competition will feature a theme based on the hidden treasures of the Incan Empire. The robots will "parachute" into the Incan maze of Sacsayhuaman, where the Incans supposedly hid their vast reserves of gold. The AmigoBots will act as machines assigned by the CIA to rescue the gold from thieves.

Students have programmed the AmigoBots using the C++ computer language to navigate the maze and find specific locations, referred to as "cells," and then find their way back out. For the competition, each robot will be provided with an electronic map of the maze that will help them find the location of the gold. Students will not know where in the maze their robots will be placed prior to the competition, adding to the complexity and unpredictability.

One of the central elements of the course has been the element of teamwork.

"Students are learning how to work in a group to get something done, which is what they will need to do in the real world," said Brock. "They are learning how to compensate for other team members if something goes wrong, and how to go to their team members if they get stuck with something. It's a fun bonding experience for them."

Scott Myers, a senior Computer Science major and member of the class' Scorpion team, says that while the class was very difficult, with over 5,500 lines of code were written by the team members, it was a unique and rewarding experience.

"It's much different than most other computer science classes," Myers said. "It deals with new concepts and new ideas, and was a lot of fun."

Another key element that Brock has tried to get across to his students is the practical application of what is learned in the classroom.

"One of the most important educational points for the course is for students to see why they've had to learn all the math and programming skills. You actually get to take what you learn and see the results."

The course, described as "truly multi-disciplinary" by Myers, requires students to incorporate elements of physics, linear algebra, geometry, trigonometry, probability theory, engineering and even sociology.

Last year, the first year Brock taught the course, students used small, simple robots guided by a mounted palm pilot. These robots were bought for approximately $350 each, after Brock applied for a faculty grant. Students enjoyed using the palm pilot robots, but felt they were not capable enough. Brock then went to Computer Science department chairman Bruce Croft and asked for funds to purchase five AmigoBots, which cost $2,000 apiece and are much more sophisticated and able to do more complex functions than the palm pilot-based robots.

They come preprogrammed to perform primitive actions and movements. The students must program the AmigoBots to perform more complex behavioral patterns. They have a red plastic case and are 7 inches high and weigh approximately 9 pounds.

The 19 students in the class have been broken up into five teams, who will compete against each other to see who can be the first to find the "Incan gold." The five teams competing in the competition will be "Lesco," "Midnight Oil," "Red Dwarf," "Scorpions" and "Hawks."

The competition, which is free and open to the public, will take place in room A307 in the Lederle Graduate Research Center today at 4 p.m.