Objective
The goal of this discipline is to build basic skills in manually controlling the omnidirectional chassis through the web interface, and to understand how each directional command affects the motion of a robot with mecanum wheels. The discipline also serves as an introductory station before the more advanced disciplines.
Preparing the playground
The playground is set up on a flat, light-colored floor using black adhesive or insulation tape (recommended width 15-20 mm). The tape marks a path with at least two 90° turns, one narrow section (a “gate” about 1.2 times the robot’s width) and several checkpoints. A recommended arena size is about 3 x 2 m. The start and finish zones are marked with colored tape that differs from the track.
Controlling the robot
Steps to connect in WiFi AP mode:
- Make sure the robot’s batteries are charged, and power it on.
- In your device’s WiFi settings, connect to the robot’s access point (SSID “robot” for the original RoboSTEAM firmware, or “picobot-web” / password “12345678” for the picobot-mqtt firmware).
- Enter the address 192.168.4.1 in a web browser to load the control interface.
- The interface has buttons for movement and sliders for the arm; end the connection by turning off WiFi or switching to another network.
Directional commands available in the web interface:
| Command | Motion description |
| Forward | Straight forward motion – all wheels turn the same direction |
| Back | Straight backward motion |
| Left / Right | Sideways motion (strafe) left or right without rotating the chassis |
| Left Forward / Right Forward | Diagonal motion forward-left or forward-right |
| Left Back / Right Back | Diagonal motion backward-left or backward-right |
| Rotate Left / Rotate Right | Rotation in place, left or right |
| Stop | Immediate stop of all motor |
Rules and scoring
- Time limit: 3 minutes from the robot’s first movement.
- Points for each checkpoint (CP) reached in the correct order.
- Bonus for finishing the course before the time limit expires.
- Penalty for touching or crossing the boundary tape (time or point deduction as set out in the competition schedule).
- Only manual control via the web interface buttons is allowed; programmatic or automated commands are not permitted in this discipline.
- Disqualification for repeated collisions with an obstacle or for leaving the playground.
Safety notes
- Check the WiFi range across the whole track before starting.
- The Stop command must always be available to the competitor.
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