Thank you to RoboCup Victoria for the following tips from their 2021 workshop:
Things to note before you begin OnStage…
● Maximum 4 team members
● 2m x 2m dance floor for the robots, boundary marked with 50mm black tape
● Teams can have a roll-out mat but it must fit within the boundary (50mm black tape)
● Robot construction and programming is exclusively the students
● Any autonomous (not remote-controlled) robots can be used
● The robots may be from previous competitions but innovated and programmed for the current challenge season.
● Costumes are students’ own work
● Music selected is appropriate (no violent or explicit lyrics/sounds)
● Performance goes for longer than ONE minute but no longer than TWO minutes
● As well as the performance, students must participate in an Interview, and complete a Technical Description Paper
● Check the rules and score sheets for complete info here: https://www.robocupjunior.org.au/onstage/
Checklist for each session
1. Allocate roles for the session
● programmer/s
● robot design and construction
● log book writer and photographer
● robot costume design and construction
● prop design and construction.
This is a robotic competition NOT a costume design competition! Programming the robot comes before costume/prop making.
2. Complete a logbook entry – including any issues and a photo
3. Ensure the robot is moving in time to the music or movements complement the music.
4. Back up your program file and logbook on a USB
Before competition checklist
Practice setting up, performing and packing up within 6 minutes (Who is cueing the music player to start your song? Who is starting the robots? Who brings/takes off on what props?)
Practice for your interview (it’s worth 40% of your mark!)
Complete the Technical Description Paper and submit it online
Fully charge robot and computer
Transfer song onto a USB (the song should be the only data on USB) or upload it online
Pack your audio USB and a backup copy of your song
Pack robots, chargers, computer and computer charger (DET schools - make sure students log into the computer before the leave school or they won't be able to log in and a non-DET site)
Pack costume repair kit (scissors, sticky tape, blu tac etc)
Pack spare Lego, or other robot, parts
During performance
● Total performance time limit is 6 minutes (including set up and pack up)
● Robots must perform with the stage floor
● Point deducted for making contact with robot during performance (except when starting robot)
● Request a restart from judges (wait until approval) – a point will be deducted
● Can not restart after 1 minute of performance
● Maximum of 2 restarts