For the 12th edition of RomeCup, the Fondazione Mondo Digitale will collaborate with three Roman universities (Tor Vergata, Campus Bio-Medico, Sapienza) to promote as many creative competitions on robotic technology applied to agriculture and rehabilitation.
The competitions - AGROBOT, COBOT and NONNIBOT – are open to university students and students attending school-work programmes, either individually or as teams. Mixed teams will be preferred.
AGROBOT Contest (University of Rome - Tor Vergata)
Here are some examples of application in agriculture:
- Robotic system to identify scab, powdery mildew and other plant diseases and does remedies locally on leaves and trunks.
- Robotic system to water, eradicate and fertilize with precision without waste and/or the use of herbicide.
- Robotic system (visual) to identify bee varroa (simulating the effects of an insect with varroa)
- Automatic sod seeding system
- Robotic guardian/shepherd
COBOT Contest (University Campus Bio Medico)
Here are some examples of application in rehabilitation:
- Aids for autonomous life, robotic prostheses
- Natural and artificial motor control
- Manipulation aids
- Aid interfaces
- Physical person-aid interfaces
NONNIBOT Contest (Sapienza University of Rome)
The contest focuses on the development of a robot that can help grandparents by allowing grandchildren connected remotely to interact with them and help them. Examples:
- Autonomous in-house navigation
- Use of sensors to identify threats (gas leaks, open windows, etc.)
- Finding objects in the house (i.e, glasses)
- Speaking interface for entertainment, access to the Internet, etc.
- Recognition of gestures, actions, persons.
Mobile robots can be developed exploiting Project MARRtino:
Submitted projects must be accompanied by a presentation (slides or video) and it must be feasible to develop a working prototype and required software interfaces. The final cost of the project must not exceed 500 euro. The Fondazione Mondo Digitale will provide participants with use of the labs at the Phyrtual Innovation Gym (Fab Lab, Immersive Lab, etc.) to develop and optimise projects.
A panel of experts will evaluate the projects and select the finalists through a final pitch context at RomeCup 2018. Projects and prototypes will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- impact
- cost
- efficiency
- originality
- interdisciplinary nature
Students attending certain degree programmes at the University of Rome – Tor Vergata will receive practical lab credits for participation: Robotics and Automation in Computer Engineering (Automatic Control, Automation Lab, Robotics Lab) and the Masters Degree in Automation Engineering (Analysis and Synthesis of Non-linear Systems Control).
Students attending the degree programme in Automation and Computer Engineering at Sapienza University will be able to present the project as their final assignment on Artificial Intelligence and Graphic Computing.
