Set, Ready, LEGO!: Information and Experiences at the FLL 2012 Thailand Robotics Competition

Kids Solving Real-World Problems

The Robotics Club at ISB (International School Bangkok) participated for the first time in the FIRST LEGO League 2012 Thailand Senior Solution Challenge organized by GAMMACO. The competition took place on February 22, 2013 at the Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Nonthaburi. Our team of ten children, with me as their adult coach (Miguel Zambrano), participated in the Challenge by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field in 2-1/2 minutes (Robot Game), developing a solution to a problem they have identified (Project), all guided by the FLL Core Values. The Robot Game and Project are what teams do. The FLL Core Values are how they do it.

The following students were chosen to represent ISB's PANTHRO team. Each of them contributed with their strengths and were given specific roles in the team:

1. Alessio Amaolo - Project Manager
2. Jonathan Vithoontien - Project Manager
3. Daiki Shinomiya - Hardware and Software Specialist
4. Paul Limsuwannarot - Hardware and Software Specialist
5. Taha Sarfraz - Hardware & Information Specialist
6. Chin Chao Huang - Hardware & Information Specialist
7. Aman Arora - Software & Information Specialist
8. Karan Arora - Software & Information Specialist
9. Ghazy Aziz - Information Specialist
10. Sora Kanasue - Information Specialist

Throughout the competition, the team was supported by the following students:

1. Grayson Heath - Hardware Specialist
2. Shion Ota - Information Specialist
3. Jack Ducharme - Information Specialist

They were not only there to gain the valuable experience but were also in charge of documenting the entire event using photo and flip video cameras. Most of the images and footage of what you see is thanks to their work. They also provided invaluable technical assistance in crucial moments of the competition.

As you will see in the photos and videos below, each one of the team members knew their roles and worked collectively as a team to complete various robot game missions, overcoming numerous design and programming problems and making critical decisions during the game as well as the presentations. A lot of learning took place during the day as students spent time at the practice tables refining their programs and making design changes from new ideas. It was interesting to see how all competitors shared some "table time" with kindness, respect and professionalism.

There was a team of professionals (professors, engineers, etc.) who were in charge of evaluating the students during the judging sessions. The entire event was well organized and even though it was mostly in Thai, we were able to stay tuned and attend all the judging sessions who had English speaking judges in them. Panthro's Judging sessions and robot game rounds took place at:

09:30 AM: Robot Design (Technical Judging) - venue RJ1
10:50 AM: Round One / Table #A
11:40 AM: Round Two / Table #B
12:50 AM: Presentation Judging - venue PJ1
02:50 PM: Round Three / Table #A

As I walked to try to meet other teams, I managed to ask some groups a few questions about their preparation for the FLL event. The Princes Chulabhorn's College Lopburi team members told me that they practiced for 3 hours every day, from 4 to 7 PM, all week. They did this for a month at their boarding school. They used 2 light sensors in the their robot to detect lines and colors. Another school, Wachirathamsatit School, practiced for a month, every day from Monday to Friday, 4 - 7 PM. There were really good competitors, like the ATOI team, who won last year's competition. For this year's FLL Competition, there were 20 schools/clubs registered and we were assigned team # 19.

At ISB, we started working on the Competition after the Winter Break. In total we had close to 5 weeks of preparation. The first weeks of the second semester we met once or twice per week. Due to the fact that many students were busy with other commitments, it was hard to maintain a consistent group. In addition, we lost a week's worth of work due to the MS Trips. Towards the end, during the last weeks, we began our sessions right after school at 2:20 PM and ended by 5 PM. We even met during the weekends on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. On the last day at the club before the competition, a kind parent donated 2 pizzas for the group of students working until 6 PM. Thanks to the work of Alessio and Paul, we managed to design our t-shirt logos and have them ready for the event.

During the Judging sessions, students were asked to explain their accomplishments based on skill areas.

The Robot Design Technical Judging

Daiki Shinomiya, Alessio Amaolo, and Jonathan Vithoontien gave the judges information about their robots. They told them about their game strategy and the interesting attachments they had designed. Judges addressed all of the questions directly to the team members, as they want to hear that the children did the work and understand what they did.

For the Robot Design they were evaluated on the following skill areas: durability, mechanical efficiency, and mechanization of their robots. This all translates to the efficiency of the robot's structural integrity and ability to withstand rigors of the competition. In addition, they were asked to talk about the economic use of parts and time, as well as how easy their robot was to repair and modify. Finally, they had to demonstrate their robot's mechanisms and ability to move or act with appropriate speed, strength and accuracy for intended tasks (propulsion and execution).

In terms of the programming, students were evaluated on their programming quality. Emphasis was placed on the appropriateness of programs for the intended purpose and its achievement of consistent results, assuming no mechanical faults. A second aspect of programming was efficiency. Students had to demonstrate that their programs were modular, streamlined and understandable. The third programming focus was automation/navigation. This refers to the ability of the robot to move or act as intended using mechanical and/or sensor feedback, with minimal reliance on driver intervention and/or programming timing.

The last skill area for the robot design was Strategy and Innovation. This area evaluates the design process, the mission strategy, and innovation. Students had to demonstrate ability to develop and explain improvement cycles where alternatives are considered and narrowed, selections tested, and designs improved. Students were also tested on their ability to clearly define and describe the team's game strategy. The third aspect of this skill evaluated the creation of new, unique, or unexpected features that are beneficial in performing the specified tasks.

The Robot Game Judging

At a tournament, two robot game fields are joined back to back, and teams are paired opposite to one another to compete in a match. There are three matches and each match lasts 2-1/2 minutes. Here’s the process. A team gets to the competition table and has at least one minute to prepare their equipment.

The match starts and the team starts their robot from Base. Once started, the robot is “active” and is understood to be working “autonomously” on missions, under its own power and programming, allowed to grow to any size and go anywhere. The robot might get a lot done, or a little, but eventually the team is likely to need/want to handle it. For example, it might get stuck, or the team might want to add an attachment or unload some cargo. If the team does decide to touch the robot while it’s active, no matter where it is or what it’s doing, that makes it “inactive,” and it must immediately be carried to Base if it’s not already there. While the inactive robot is in Base, the team prepares it for its next active period, and restart it.

These steps repeat (often with music, an announcer, and cheering in the background!) until the match end signal sounds. The timer never pauses during a match. The team plays three matches a tournament, each one being a fresh chance for you to get your best score. No match has anything to do with another, and only your best score counts specifically toward the Robot Performance Award except when breaking ties. “Playoffs” if held, are just for added fun. If it is known in advance that you will not have another team opposite you, a volunteer or “house” team substitutes. if not, and you compete against an empty table, you get the points for any missions you tried but could not complete because the other team was missing.

After the match, no one is allowed to touch anything on the field until the ref has recorded the condition of the field and come to agreement with the team (kids only) about what points were scored or missed and why. Data is marked on a sheet which the team initials, making the sheet final.

Click here to watch the Official Robot Game

The Project Judging

Our Project challenge this season was to solve a problem faced by seniors as they age. To start, our team needed to find a senior partner. We had to look for an adult who is 60 years of age or older. We decided to invite Mr. Jerry Hochberg and work with him. He was interviewed by Ghazy Aziz, Taha Sarfraz, and Chin Chao Huang. A video is provided below.

The Project presentation at the Competition was given by Alessio Amaolo and Jonathan Vithoontien. They shared the things they learned and the information from experts that they researched. For the Project, the following skill areas were assessed. In terms of the Research, students had to clearly define the problem being studied. They had to use different sources of information like books, magazines, websites, reports, etc. Judges were also evaluating the depth to which the problem was studied and analyzed by the team. In addition, students were required to review existing solutions and analyze them, as well as make an effort to verify the originality of the team's solution.

The Innovative Solution skill was measured by the team's clear explanation of the proposed solution. Innovation was measured by the degree to which the team's solution makes life better by improving existing options, developing a new application of existing ideas, or solving the problem in a completely new way. For the implementation, students were supposed to show consideration of factors for implementation like cost, ease of manufacturing, etc.

Finally, the third skill was Presentation. Judges evaluated the degree to which the team shared their project  before the tournament with others who might benefit from the team's efforts. They also assessed the imagination used to develop and deliver the presentation as well as the message delivery  and organization of the presentation.

The FLL Core Values

Undoubtedly, the third part of the Challenge is one of the most important ones for me. This is related to how students do the Challenge, as mentioned at the beginning of this post. The FLL Core Values are the cornerstones of the FLL program. They are among the fundamental elements that distinguish FLL from other programs of its kind. By embracing the Core Values, participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork.

• We are a team.
• We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.
• We know our coaches and mentors don't have all the answers; we learn together.
• We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
• What we discover is more important than what we win.
• We share our experiences with others.
• We display Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition® in everything we do.
• We have FUN!

During the competition, judges assess the skill of Inspiration which is related to Discovery, Team Spirit, and Integration. Students are assessed in terms of their balanced emphasis on all three aspects (Robot, Project, and Core Values) of FLL. It's not just about winning awards. Their enthusiastic and fun expression of the team identity is a great plus. Students have to be able to show integration and application of FLL values and skills outside FLL demonstrating ability to describe current and potential examples from daily life.

Another skill assessed is Teamwork. They have to demonstrate effectiveness in problem solving and decision making processes that help the team achieve their goals. Students also have to demonstrate all sorts of resources relative to what the team accomplishes (time management, distribution of roles and responsibilities).

Before the FLL competition, the Robotics Club presented their work to the entire Middle School on February 1, 2013. They spoke about the things that they did in the club and gave a demonstration of a robot game challenge. This was a great opportunity to show the strong relationship that they had built amongst themselves in the club.

The third skill is called Kids do the Work. This refers to the appropriate balance between team responsibility and coach guidance. Finally, the fourth skill is Gracious Professionalism. This refers to Inclusion and the consideration and appreciation for the contributions  (ideas and skills) of all team members, with balanced involvement. It also assesses the level of respect in how team members act and speak with integrity so others feel valued, especially when solving problems or resolving conflicts. Finally, judges assessed Coopertition, which refers to how teams compete in the spirit of friendly competition and cooperate with others.

I am sure that all our students have learned many lessons during the FLL Competition. These will remain in their memories as being the first students to participate and represent ISB at a Robotics Competition. Unfortunately, we were not able to stay for the Closing Ceremony, so we don't have any official results yet. All this information will be sent to us next week after the holiday. Next year, we plan to start our preparation for the Nature's Fury Competition before the end of the first semester and involve more people in the community to support and assist our team.

A group of parents came to visit during the competition. Some spent most of the day with us looking after students and teachers (thanks for the coffee and fried rice). They took photos, watched their children in action, cheered them to the sounds of drums, tambourine, maracas while shouting "OLE, OLE, OLE, OLE, Panthro, Panthro."

I also want to thank Mr. Burgess, Mr. Baron-Toaldo, Mr. Tague, and Khun Dalad for all their support providing transportation back home. For this event, we had the company of Mr. Matt McGovern (chaperone) who provided timely guidance for the Project Presentation.

Special thanks to Mr. Jerry Hochberg who collaborated with the team as their Senior Partner. He was very kind to spare some time with the students talking to them about his life and the problems that adults face as they age.

Finally, our Middle School Robotics Club continues until the end of the academic year for all current students. We all look forward to new and exciting experiences with our upcoming "Sumo Competition".