ICMA ( Aug 9th, 2011) Shin’ichi YUTA Professor, University of Tsukuba

1. Tsukuba Challenge:An Open Experiment of One Kilometer Autonomous Navigation by Many Mobile Robots in Usual Living Environment in Tsukuba City ICMA (Aug 9th, 2011) Shin’ichi YUTA Professor, University of Tsukuba

2. Tsukuba Challenge-- Real world Robot Challenge in Tsukuba City • Purpose: • Stimulation in the Real World Robot Technology • Getting a Proper Understanding by Usual People on the “State of the Arts” in Robot Technology • Organized and Operated by • New Technology Foundation (NTF), and • Tsukuba City (Local Government)

3. Movies Clips from Tsukuba Challenge 2010 • Science News by JST:Trial Days • Science News by JST:Final • TV News by FNN Tsukuba Challenge2010 JST実験走行 Tsukuba Challenge2010JST本走行 TsukubaChallenge2010-FNN

4. Challenge of Integrated Robotic Systems in Concrete Real World • Mission Oriented Approach for Robust Robotic System Technologies • Importance of Experience in Real World • DARPA operation • Grand Challenge 2003-2005 • URBAN Challenge 2007 • Various Robot Contests • RoboCup • Micro Mouse

5. Mission of Tsukuba Challengefor Robots • Autonomous run of 1km on the street for pedestrians • Environment should be as they are (no artificial change) • No special treatment for the surface of the street • No postponed in case of rain • There may be pedestrians or bicycles

6. Route of Tsukuba Challenge2010 Total Distance:１１２０ｍ • Course：Tsukuba City • Pedestrian Street next to Tsukuba Central Park+ • Tsukuba Central Park+ Side Walk of Bus Street + • Tsukuba Center Plaza • Start: Tsukuba Expo Center, Entrance Square • Goal: Tsukuba Science Information Center ( Inside of a Building)

7. Tsukuba Challenge • Real World Robot Challenge (RWRC) • Not a “Competition” No Order • Define a Common Mission and Share the Place of Real World Experiment • Disclose Technical Information and Share Experiences • No Prize! • http://www.ntf.or.jp/challenge/

8. Real World Robot Challenge （RWRC） • Balanced Design and Implementation of Hardware and Software for Real Problems • Real World: • Physically • Socially • No Excuse can be Made when Failure • Bridge between Advanced Technologies and Practical Applications

9. Tsukuba Challenge - Mission Compatibility with Society For the Robots Work with the People Living in the Same Environment, Robot Should • Never Harm People • Never Give a Feeling of Frightened or Discomfort • Never Give a Damage on Any Object in Environment • Not Disturb People nor be Obstructive for the Working Object in Environment

10. Tsukuba Challenge - Mission Autonomy of the Robot For Autonomy, Robot Should • Have all Functions as Energy Source or Information Processing in the Body, ie. Self-Contained • Be Prepared all Necessary Hardware, Software and Environment Information to Complete the Mission

11. Tsukuba Challenge - MissionEnvironment • Environment should be, as they are • No special treatment for the surface of the street • No postponed even in case of rain • There may be pedestrians and bicycles • Environment depends on the Weather • Surface Condition of the Roads Depends on the Weather of the Previous Days, • Water pool or Fallen Leaves May Remain on the Road • Environment may also Depend on Social Conditions • Any Objects Originally Existing in the Environment May be Used as a Guide for Navigation, But not Artificial Change can be Made or added on the Environment.

12. Technologies for Completing the Task • Wide Range of Possibilities / Strategy • Total Design / Element Selection • Imagination to the Possible Situation • Interface with People • Test and Design / Development Cycle

13. Technologies (Hardware) • Vehicle Mechanism • Wheel / Track • Suspension • PWS / Steering • Battery / Power Management • Motors / Drivers • Sensors • Odometry • IMS / Gyro / Accelometor • GPS • Vision Camera / Lidar (Sokuiki Sensor) • Single / Multiple / Scanning • Magnetic • Ultrasound / Audio

14. Technologies (Control) • Control Strategy • Detail Position Estimation / Road Following • Teaching Playback / Motion Design • Map • Measured / Self-made • Google / Provided by Local Government • Positioning • GPS • Land Marks • Selection • Motion Control • Collision Avoidance / Safety

15. Technologies (Development Environment) • Hardware / Software • Monitoring / Record • Online / Offline • Wired / Wireless • Simulation • Sensing / Decision / Motion • Tools • Operator Interface

16. Passing Over Other Robots • One of the most difficult action: • Being passed safely is more difficult

17. Preparations and Operation by Organizer Side • Concept and Rules • Environment • To Use Public Street • Operation • Registration • Safety Management • Management of the Days of Trials and Final • Publicities

18. Permission for Using Public Street is Required • Route is a Public Pedestrian Street (not for Motor Driven Vehicle) • This Street is governed by Tsukuba City, but, Special Permission is Necessary from the Police Office (!). • Permitted as a Robot Experiment on the Public Road after Negotiations • Several Strict Conditions Given for the Safety of Citizens

19. Conditions - for Using Public Road • Road can be Used Only at Appointed Days • Setting about 10 Official Trial Days • Put Signs of “Robot Experiment” for Citizen • Prepare Staffs in Charge of Controlling Traffic of Pedestrians and Bicycle • Assign a Person in Charge of Safety Management for Each Participating Team

20. Instructions for the RobotFor Safety and Compatibility with Society • Robot size less than 75cm (W), 120cm (L),150cm(H) • Robot weight less than 100kg • Maximum speed 4km/h • Emergency stop switch • Accompanying operator for emergency when the robot moves by power • Robot should be Designed in accordance with environmental and ecological attention

21. Tsukuba Challenge 2010 • Date: Nov.18(Thu.)-19(Fri.), 2010 • Place: Tsukuba City • Route: 1km+ in • Pedestrian Street, • Side walk of Street, • Promenade in Citizen’s Park • Tsukuba Center Plaza • Start: Tsukuba Expo Center Entrance Square • Goal: Tsukuba Science Information Center ( Inside of a Building)

22. Route of Tsukuba Challenge2010 Total Distance:１１２０ｍ • Course：Tsukuba City • Pedestrian Street next to Tsukuba Central Park+ • Tsukuba Central Park+ Side Walk of Bus Street + • Tsukuba Center Plaza • Start: Tsukuba Expo Center, Entrance Square • Goal: Tsukuba Science Information Center ( Inside of a Building)

23. Time Schedule of Tsukuba Challenge2010 • Registration for Participation ：　June 30th • Kick-off Meeting ：　 July 24th • Open Experiments(8days = Sat. or Sunday）： July 24th, Sept. 4th, Sept. 26th, Oct. 15th, Nov. 6th, Nov. 14th, Nov. 16th, and Nov. 17th • Rally - Trial: Nov. 18th (Thu.) • Rally – Final: Nov. 19th (Fri.)

24. Tsukuba Challenge2010 Registrants (Number of Participated Team) • Registration ６８ 　　（incl. 59 Teams Cont. from TC2009) • Participation of Rally　　　　 ６４ • Teams Passing Trial 　　 ３１（＋１） • Succesfully Completed Mission ７

25. Participants in Tsukuba Challenge 2009 • University 48 • Research Labs. 4 • Companies 2 • Joint of Uni. & Company 6 • Club or Circle 7 • Personal 5 （Total 72）

26. Participants in Open Experiment Day (2010) First 7/2433 Second 9/433 Third 9/2631 Fourth10/1547 Fifth 11/645 Sixth 11/1443 Seventh 11/1655 Eighth 11/1766 Total Participants:353

27. Open Experiments for Development and Test (8days)

28. Record of Tsukuba Challenge2010 Rally　ー　Trial Run and Final Run • Trial Run240m Section(Nov.18) • 64 Robots Participated • 25 Robots Passed in First Trial • 6 Robots Passed in Second Trial • Only the Robots Passed the Trial Section Qualified to Start Final • Final Run1.1km(Nov.19) • 32 Robots Started • 7 Robots Completed

29. Tsukuba Challenge 2010 Teams and their Robots Completed the mission

31. Movies Clips from Tsukuba Challenge 2010 • Science News by JST:Trial Days • Science News by JST:Final • TV News by FNN Tsukuba Challenge2010 JST実験走行 Tsukuba Challenge2010JST本走行 TsukubaChallenge2010-FNN

32. Records of Tsukuba Challenge 2007-2009 First (2007) • Registrant 33teams • Participants in Elimination Trial(100m) 27teams • Qualified 11teams • Run Completed 3teams Second (2008) • Registrant 50teams • Participants in Elimination Trial(100m) 47teams • Qualified 22teams • Run Completed 1teams Third (2009) • Registrant 72teams • Participants in Elimination Trial(100m) 66teams • Qualified 34teams • Run Completed 5teams

33. For Good and Effective Use of Results and Experience • Publicity • Make Many People and Media have Interests • However, it is not a Event to Show • Request Disclosure of Information • Promotion of Special Articles in Journal/Magazine • Have Symposium and OS in Conference • Encourage to make it Open in Source Level

34. For Sharing Information • Organized Sessions in SICE-SI2007, SI2008, and SI2009 • Special Symposium for Tsukuba Challenge (January, Tokyo) • HP http://www.robomedia.org/ challenge/

35. Lessons and Impression from the View Point of Organizer • Many Participants and Robots • Many Audience without Effort in Publicity • Weather (not Controllable) • Real Time Broadcast in WEB • Attitude of Passers-by and Audience （at Test Run Day and Final) • Big Support by Local Community • Structure for Keep Safety

36. (Short Range) Goal of Tsukuba Challenge • Realize a Mobile Robot Capable to Move in Any Place of Pedestrian’s Street in Tsukuba City • Utilization of these Technologies in Real Problem of the Society • As the Result, Get Understanding of the Meaning of Robots • And then: Make it Easy to Test the Robots Motion and Interaction with People in the Public Space • The FinalTsukuba Challenge (in the Current way) will be held in Nov. 2011