Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!nec-gw!nec-tyo!wnoc-tyo-news!nkkgw!damned!hattori
From: hattori@csrd.nkk.co.jp (Mato Hattori)
Subject: Part2: My challenge to the 5th Annual All Japan Robot Sumo Tournament
Message-ID: <HATTORI.93Dec24140031@gaea.csrd.nkk.co.jp>
Sender: news@nkk.co.jp
Organization: NKK corp.,Tokyo,Japan
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1993 05:00:31 GMT
Lines: 156



Dear All Robot Freaks,


I re-posted the article I wrote before.  This is continuing story of
my approach to the All Japan Robot Sumo Tournament.


First, I will explain how I modified my robots.  2 robots had been
completed since I entered preliminaries before.  It was hard to
modify.  Size of them had been optimized almost maximum.  It is hard
to find space for additional parts.  Of course, there's not enough
time to make another robot from first.  :-<


BigTX got his arms, first folded then would spread.  Each arm is made
of 50cm(=about 20 inches) long of 1x1cm alminum L angle.  The hinge is
made of a plastic parts and bearings.  I attached 2 of these arms in
his side front to be directed 45 degree oblique forward.

	Before starts :

                             front
                          _____________    
                     ||##|             |##||
                     ||  |             |  ||
                         |             |
                         |             |
                         |             |
                         |_____________|


	After started :

             \\                                   //
              \\                                 //
               \\                               //
                \\                             //
                 \\                           //
                  \\                         //
                   \\        front          //
                    \\    _____________    //
                     \\##|             |##//
                         |             |
                         |             |
                         |             |
                         |             |
                         |_____________|

And I tuned its control program to be nicer.


Opus2 got 2 additional proximity sensors in his back in order to
escape from opponents' attack from behind.  #7 and #8 in following
figure are added sensors.

			   front
	              / \         / \
		       |           |
		 ________________________
		|     #1           #2    |
		|                        |
	     <- |#5                    #3| ->
		| ______          ______ |
		||      |        |      ||
	left	||      |        |      ||	right
		||______|        |______||
		|                        |
	     <- |#6                    #4| ->
		|  ___              ___  |
		| |___|            |___| |    
		|______#8________#7______|
                       |         |
                      \ /       \ /
			   back

The circuit for those two sensors was built on a tiny (about 2x3cm)
universal board, and attached to the main board as if a daughter
board.

The polling routine that handles these proximity sensors has been
modified as follows.

	If only #1 is active
		then turn to left
	else if only #2 is active
		then turn to right
	else if both #1 and #2 are active
		then go forward
	else if only #3 is active
		then turn to left backward
	else if only #4 is active
		then rotate clockwise at there
	else if both #3 and #4 are active
		then escape left way
	else if only #5 is active
		then turn to right backward
	else if only #6 is active
		then rotate counter clockwise at there
	else if both #5 and #6 are active
		then escape right way
	else if only #7 escape right way		<  :
		then turn to right backward		< added
	else if only #8 escape left way			< these 
		then rotate counter clockwise at there	< lines
	else if both #7 and #8 are active		<  :
		then escape right or left way		<  :

And, I tuned the assembler code that my poor compiler generated to
make polling period be short.  I actually did code optimization by my
hand.


After these modifications, I entered preliminalies held on December
22nd at Kokugikan hall in Tokyo.  There were over 400 robots gethered
in he hall, 250 in stand alone category and 150 in radio control
category.  I have to win continuously 5 times in order to make
progress to the final session held on 23rd.

Opus2 lost his first opponent.  My dear ... :-< The opponent ran so
fast and had much torque.  There was no chance to show opus2's
feature.

BigTX's first opponents also looked nice.  He could win, but I found
his arms are not durable enough.  1mm thick alminum had been easily
bent with 50cm's lever effect, even it's shaped as L angle.  I
regretted I didn't prepare spare arms.  I repared carefully with my
pliers.

Next game was really tough.  The opponent ran fast and had much power.
BigTX's arm had been almost useless because of metal fatigue.  He just
could win.

The third opponent looked easily able to defeat, but it was just my
misunderstanding.  The opponent rushed toward BigTX.  BigTX tried to
turn around his weeker side.  But, BigTX eventually pushed out of the
ring.


I could win against 2 opponents, but that's it, not enough to make
progress to the finals.  On Thursday 23rd, I was just watching games
sitting down enviously ...


Well, I will try to make another robot wrestler and try again to
participate the tournament next year.


Mery Christmas!  Happy New Year!  
and Hope you enjoy your Wonderful Robotics Life!!
--
Mato  Hattori                      Computer System Research Department,
email : hattori@csrd.nkk.co.jp     Electronics Research Center, NKK Corporation
voice : 81+44-322-6483 (office)    1-1 Minamiwatarida Kawasaki-ku
      : 81+44-246-9665 (home)      Kawasaki-city, 210 JAPAN
