The goal of this lab is to demonstrate that you have learned something beyond the basics of programming an RCX using NQC and that you have experimented with various construction methods using the LEGO MINDSTORMS kit.

You will work as a team to build and program two robots that can play soccer according to the rules handed out in class several weeks ago (also available on the RoboCup Junior web site -- http://www.demo.cs.brandeis.edu/rcj2001/soccer.html).

Your lab report must be done ALONE. It is worth 10% of your semester grade. It contains a write-up of the contest preparations and results.
THIS LAB REPORT SHOULD BE NO LONGER THAN 5 PAGES!

The Robot Contest.

The contest will be held after the Final Exam on Friday 4 May. Because time is limited, we will play 5 10-minute games, without halftime. The following round-robin will occur:

1. team A (white) versus team B (black)
2. team C (white) versus team D (black)
3. team E (white) versus team A (black)
4. team B (white) versus team C (black)
5. team D (white) versus team E (black)

Each team will play two games. Notice that each team will switch ends (white or black) between their two games. Whichever team scores the most goals total combined from the their two games will win the contest!

The Lab Report.

1. Include the names of your team members. Briefly describe the role that each team member played (e.g., robot body designer, programmer, both, neither, etc).

2. Include a description of the robot bodies that you used.

• You might want to use the MLCAD program. I put this in my professor's folder on the OCF federation server, in a folder called "MLCAD". Follow the instructions in the README file in that folder.
• You could use photos, if you have a digital camera.

4. Explain how you approached the task. Outline the steps you went through, and how you arrived at your final solution. You might include tables and graphs, to illustrate differences in performance achieved with different robot designs and/or programs.

5. Be sure to include any pertinent references, if you found information in books, on the Web and/or from your classmates or others.