1st Annual Autonomous Ground Vehicle

Competition

Waurn Ponds Campus- Deakin University

28 Nov- 1 Dec 2013

Background to AGVC

• Robotics are important to the future of Australian industry, medicine, transport.....and Defence.

• The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) wants to stimulate research into robotics in Australia’s tertiary institutions.

• This stimulus is expected to support the continued development of Australia’s national capacity in robotics and associated technologies.

• Since 1993, the US Department of Defence and Oakland University, Michigan have collaborated in a similar competition – the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC). We have initially adopted this model for our own competition – we hope that this will enable us to rapidly establish some benchmarks.

• However, as our competition evolves, we expect that it will change form to examine other technologies of interest.

The Competition

Three components:

1. Technical Qualification -a technical inspection and test on a basic outdoor navigation course. Vehicles must pass technical qualification before proceeding to the later stages of the competition.

2. Autonomous Navigation Test – involving autonomous navigation of an advanced outdoor course.

3. Design Competition - examines the strategy and process that teams followed to produce their vehicle and evaluates the innovation and ingenuity applied.

Awards will based on performance in the Auto Nav Test and the Design Competition

PrizesTrophies and cash prizes

Awarded to the top 3 teams

1st Place: $ 15, 000 plus two economy return airfares to compete at IGVC in the USA in June 2014 , $2,000 towards expenses.

2nd Place: $ 10, 000

3rd Place: $ 5, 000

If no vehicle successfully completes the Auto Nav Test nominal prizes of $5000, $3,000 and $2,000 will be awarded.

Preliminary awards of up to $1500 (Based on quality of submission application) will also be made based on their proposal towards hardware or software.

Innovation award Up to $5000 may be made to recognise innovative ideas or technology.

PART 1 Technical Qualification: Inspection

Source. The vehicle chassis may be fabricated or commercially bought.

Design: Must be a ground vehicle (propelled by direct mechanical contact to the ground such as wheels, tracks, pods, etc. or hovercraft).

Length: Minimum/maximum length 0.9 -2.1 meters.

Width: Minimum/maximum width 0.6 meters-1.2 meters.

Height: Not to exceed 1.8 meters (excluding emergency stop antenna).

Propulsion: Vehicle must be battery powered.

Mechanical E-stop: Each vehicle must have a mechanical e-stop. Activating the E-Stop must bring the vehicle to a quick and complete stop.

Wireless E-Stop: Each vehicle must have wireless E-stop which can be hand carried by the judges. Activating the E-Stop must bring the vehicle to a quick and complete stop.

Safety Light: The vehicle must have an easily viewed solid indicator light which is turned on whenever the vehicle power is turned on. The light must go from solid to flashing whenever the vehicle is in autonomous mode.

Payload: Each vehicle will be required to carry a 9 kilograms payload with approximate configuration of 46 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm. The payload must be securely mounted on the vehicle.

Part 1 Technical Qualification: Basic Nav Course• Speed: The vehicle will have to drive over a prescribed distance

where its minimum and maximum speeds will be determined. The vehicle must not drop below the minimum of 1.6 km per hour nor exceed the maximum speed of 16 km per hour.

• Lane Following: The vehicle must demonstrate that it can detect and follow lanes.

• Obstacle Avoidance: The vehicle must demonstrate that it can detect and avoid obstacles.

• Waypoint Navigation: Vehicle must prove it can find a path to a single navigation waypoint by navigating around an obstacle.

Judges will not qualify vehicles that fail to meet these requirements. There is no penalty for not qualifying the first time. Teams may fine-tune their vehicles and resubmit them for Qualification. Vehicles that are judged to be unsafe will not be allowed to compete.

Part 1 Technical Qualification: Basic Nav Course (adap from IGVC)

Part 2 Auto Nav Test: The Competition Course The same performance as on the basic course but on a much more

demanding course

Part 2: Autonomous Navigation Test Competition Course•The outer boundaries designated by continuous line (min 7.5cm wide)• Track width between 3-6m with a turning radius not less than 1.5m•Natural or artificial inclines with gradients not to exceed 15%•Obstacles will consist of various colours (white, orange, brown, green, black, blue etc.) of construction barrels/drums that are used on roadways and highways. The obstacles will be randomly placed from left, right, and centre placements prior to every run.•There will be a minimum 1.5m clearance between the line and the obstacle •Course will contain eight Global Positioning System (GPS) waypoints, one at each entry and exit and three on each side of the navigation no-man’s land separated by a fence with three alternating gates. •The open space between the navigation waypoints will contain a mix of obstacles

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Part 2: Autonomous Navigation Test

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Competition Course•The exact waypoint locations will be marked on the ground (grass), but there will be no stand up markers to indicate those positions. •Construction barrels, barricades, fences, and certain other obstacles will be located on the course in such positions that they must be circumvented to reach the waypoints. These may be randomly moved between runs.•The course will be divided into two areas by a fence with a two meter wide opening located somewhere along it (no coordinates are provided). The opening will be randomly relocated along the fence at the start of each run. Waypoints will have two meter circles around them.•Auto-Nav Course direction on both courses will change for each run of a Heat.

Part 2: Autonomous Navigation Test

Rules and Procedures•Each qualified team will have up to two runs in each of three heats.•Starting order will be based on order of qualification•No team participant will be allowed on the course before the team’s first run. Only one student team member will be allowed on the course during the run•Based on the above allowable run times, if the vehicle has not completed the course in the 10 minute time period, the attempt will be ended by a judge’s choice E-stop•Each vehicle must navigate the course by remaining inside the course boundaries and navigating around course obstacles•For the Traffic Violations (next slide), the appropriate ticket will be issued and deducted from the overall distance or time score.

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Part 2: Auto Navigation Test

Traffic Violation Laws• Hold-up traffic: Must maintain 1.6 kph, as a speed check at 26.7

meter mark of the course will result in end of run with time recorded.• Leave the scene\course: All portions of the vehicle cross the

boundary. The overall distance will be measured from the starting line to the furthest point where the final part of the vehicle crossed the boundary outside edge.

• Crash: The overall distance will be measured from the starting line to the collision point with the obstacle.

• Careless Driving: Crossing the boundary while at least some part of the vehicle remains in bounds.

• Student E-Stop: Student may use E-stop if the leader feels that continuation may cause damage the vehicle or if the vehicle is stuck and want to end their time.

• Judge E-Stop: The overall distance will be measured from the starting line to the front of the vehicle or where the final/furthest remaining part of vehicle if stopped, crossed the boundary outside edge.

Part 2: AUTO NAV Test: Traffic Violation Laws

  Traffic Violations Ticket Value E-Stop Measurement

1 Hold-up Traffic End of Run Yes >60 secs. to 26.7 meters

2 Leave the Course/Scene - 3 meters Yes Yes

3 Crash/Obstacle Displacement - 3 meters Yes Yes

4 Careless Driving - 1.5 meters No No

5 Sideswipe/Obstacle Touch - 1.5 meters No No

6 Student's Choice E-Stop - 3 meters Yes Yes

7 Judge's Choice E-Stop 0 m Yes Yes

8 Blocking Traffic - 1.5 meters Yes Yes

9 Loss of Payload 0 m Yes Yes

10 Wrong Side of Flag -1.5 m No No

11 Run over Flag -3 meters Yes Yes

12 Too slow, did not average 1.6 kph

Disqualified No No

Part 2: Autonomous Navigation Test

Indicative Obstacle Course Waypoint Navigation

Judging

• Judges will determine the official times, distances and ticket deductions of Judges will determine the official times, distances and ticket deductions of each entry. Vehicles crossing the finish line will be scored on the time taken each entry. Vehicles crossing the finish line will be scored on the time taken to complete the course minus any ticket deductions. Ticket values will be to complete the course minus any ticket deductions. Ticket values will be assessed in seconds (0.3 meters = one second) if the vehicle completes the assessed in seconds (0.3 meters = one second) if the vehicle completes the course within the run time.course within the run time.

• • The team with the adjusted shortest time will be declared the winner.The team with the adjusted shortest time will be declared the winner.

• • In the event that no vehicle completes the course, the score will be based In the event that no vehicle completes the course, the score will be based on the distance travelled by the vehicle minus the ticket deductions. The on the distance travelled by the vehicle minus the ticket deductions. The team with the adjusted longest distance will be declared the winner.team with the adjusted longest distance will be declared the winner.

• • For standard award money consideration, entry must exhibit sufficient For standard award money consideration, entry must exhibit sufficient degree of autonomous mobility by passing the degree of autonomous mobility by passing the money barrelmoney barrel. The money . The money barrel location is determined by the judges during the final/actual course barrel location is determined by the judges during the final/actual course layout. If a tie is declared between entries, the award money will be split layout. If a tie is declared between entries, the award money will be split equally..

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Part 3. Design Competition

• Design judging will be by a panel of expert judges and will be conducted separate from and without regard to vehicle performance on the test course.

• Judging will be based on:

a written report,

an oral presentation; and

examination of the vehicle.

• Design innovation will be given special attention by the judges. Innovation is defined as a technology (hardware or software) that has not ever been used by this or any other vehicle in this competition. The innovation needs to be documented, as an innovation, clearly in the written report and emphasized in the oral presentation.

Part 3: Design Competition

Written Report: Submitted prior to the competition event

Less than 15 A4 pages and for each page over 15 will lose 5 points

Presents the conceptual design of the vehicle and its components and highlights any unique innovative aspects of the design and the intelligence aspects of the vehicle.

Highlighting the design of lane following and obstacle detection/avoidance

Highlight methodology how the system uses GPS for waypoint navigation and localisation

Identify acquired commercially

Steps of design process along with any use of CAD

Highlight design considerations for safety, reliability and durability

Highlight any problems encountered during design process and how they were overcome.

Analytical data leading to the prediction of vehicle performance specifically speed, reaction times, battery life, ramp climbing ability, distance at which obstacles are detected, accuracy of arrival at navigation waypoints

Comparison of predicted and actual trial data

Part 3: Design Competition

Oral Presentation• The oral presentation should support the written report and includes

any updates of the design since its submission• Audio or video tape presentations are not allowed but graphic aids may

be presented by video, slide projection etc• Presentation must be made by one or more student team members and

should not last more than 20 min • The judges will score the oral presentation based on:

• Clear and understandable explanation of the innovations• Logical organisation of the talk• Effective use of graphic aids• Articulation and response to questions• salesmanship

Part 3: Design Competition

Examination of the Vehicle• This will include:

• Packaging neatness, efficient use of space• Serviceability• Ruggedness• Safety• Degree of original content in the vehicle• Style

An award of up to $5,000 may be made to recognise innovative ideas or technologies

Grounds for Disqualification

• Any vehicle that appears to a safety hazard or violate the safety requirements during the competition

• Intentional interference with another competitor’s vehicle/and or data link

• Damaging the course or deliberate movement of the obstacles

• Actions designed to damage or destroy an opponents vehicle

Who Can Enter

• Teams may represent any tertiary institution.

• Institutions can field up to three teams.

• Teams may comprise only tertiary students, and must be supervised by at least one faculty/academic advisor.

• Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

• Only the student component of each team will be eligible for the cash awards. However, winning organisations will be awarded trophies.

Key Dates and Information

 • Submission of Intent to Compete: 14 June 2013• Submission of completed entry forms: 15 Aug 2013• Research awards notified: 23 Aug 2013• Submission of technical reports: 1 Nov 2013• Competition date: 28 Nov – 1 Dec 2013

Up to 4 Team members will be provided with free accommodation in Geelong during the competition.

 More Information:For detailed information on competition rules, entry requirements, judging

criteria and forms, visit: www.agvc.net.auwww.dsto.defence.gov.au/agvc/

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How to Enter

Submit an Expression of Interest by 14 JuneSubmit a completed Entry Form by 15 August

Forms at www.agvc.net.auAddress for submission: agvc@deakin.edu.auGeneral Enquiries: agvc@deakin.edu.au

Technical Enquiries

Dr Arthur FilippidisLand Operations DivisionDSTOEdinburgh, SA 5111Ph: 08 73894849Mob: 0410873211 arthur.filippidis@dsto.defence.gov.au

Dr James MullinsCISRDeakin UniversityWaurn Ponds, Geelong Vic 3216 Ph: 03 52273384Mob: 0425829568james.mullins@deakin.edu.au

Organising Committee

Executive ChairsDr Vinod PuriLand Operations DivisionDSTO, Edinburgh, SA 5111

 Prof Saeid NahavandiCISRDeakin UniversityWaurn Ponds, Geelong Vic 3216

 Co-ChairProf Justin KellyCISRDeakin UniversityWaurn Ponds, Geelong Vic 3216

Co-Ordinator (DSTO)Dr Despina FilippidisLand Operations Division, DSTO, Edinburgh, SA 5111despina.filippidis@dsto.defence.gov.au Ph: (08) 7389 5873Mob: 0418895255

Co-Ordinator (Deakin University)Dr Mick FieldingCISR, Deakin UniversityWaurn Ponds, Geelong Vic 3216 Mick.fielding@deakin.edu.au

Questions