2024-03-23 20:06:47 +01:00
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# RomeCup Explorer
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2024-03-23 20:03:50 +01:00
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2024-03-23 20:06:47 +01:00
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This repository contains the PCBs design files and code for the RomeCup Explorer playfield.
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The RomeCup is a yearly event held by [Fondazione Mondo Digitale](https://mondodigitale.org) in
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Rome, Italy, revolving around robotics and artificial intelligence. A big part of the event are the
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robotics competitions aimed at middle and high school students. Some categories of competition are parallel to
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the [RoboCup Junior](https://junior.robocup.org) (e.g. Soccer Open/LightWeight, Rescue Line), while
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others are exclusive to RomeCup, like the Explorer category and, starting 2024, the Robotic Arms
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category.
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In the Explorer category, robots build and programmed by the students have to navigate a maze while
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finding and recognizing different "hotspots". The hotspots can be of different kinds (in ascending
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order of points earned):
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- Gas sources (1)
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- Light source (2)
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- Sound sources (3)
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In 2024, we decided to rebuild the explorer category playfield from the ground up, favouring ease of
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transport and assembly once on site (RomeCup is held every year at a different location, with the
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finals taking place in Rome Capitol every year).
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To follow this route, we decided to have each hotspot have its own PCB to generate light and sound,
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instead of having a single source with cables running underneath the playfield. This also makes
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rearranging the maze easier in between rounds. In this repo, you can find the KiCad project files
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for the light and sound generation PCB, along side the BOM and manufacturing files for both
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standalone boards and panels, and the Arduino code powering the AtTiny412 microcontroller used in
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the sound boards.
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If you want to know more about the thought process and design decisions for the playfield, or about
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the RoboCup 2024 event in general, I have written a [blog post](https://emamaker.com/events/romecup2024.md)
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about it.
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