Challenges
RoboCupJunior offers several challenges, each emphasizing cooperative, problem-solving and task-achievement aspects. In the Soccer challenge, 2-on-2 teams of autonomous mobile robots play games in a highly dynamic environment, tracking a special infrared light-emitting ball in an enclosed field. The Rescue challenge engages robots to identify victims quickly and accurately within re-created disaster scenarios, varying in complexity from line-following on a flat surface to negotiating paths through obstacles on uneven terrain. The Dance challenge encourages creativity, bringing one or more robots together with music, dressed
in costume and moving in harmony. For children, the RCJ initiative provides an exciting introduction to the field of robotics, a new way to develop technical abilities through hands-on experience with electronics, hardware and software, and a highly motivating opportunity to learn about teamwork while sharing technology with friends. In contrast to the one-child-one-computer scenario frequently seen today, RoboCupJunior provides a unique opportunity for participants with a variety of interests and strengths to work together as a team to achieve a common goal. Ages RCJ is targeted at primary and secondary school students. There is no fixed minimum age, but primary students are expected to be able to read (and hence write) programs for their robots on their own, without significant help from adult mentors. Students over age 19 are not allowed on RCJ teams. The division between the primary and secondary age categories is 14 years old: Teams with all student members 14 and under are considered primary Teams with any student member over the age of 14 must be secondary Age is counted as on 1st July for the international RCJ event each year. |