Project: Robocup Junior – Rescue Line with ORB robot

In the Robocup Junior: Rescue Line project, students and partners from Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences demonstrate the implementation of a typical competition task from the international Robocup Junior robotics competition – using a robot they developed themselves based on the Open Robotic Board (ORB). This modular electronics platform was designed at H-BRS specifically for use in autonomous robotics and is continuously being further developed.

The aim of the project is not only to build competition-ready robots, but also to provide a learning- and teaching-friendly hardware basis that is open, flexible and versatile – from schools and universities to private robotics initiatives.

Application in teaching, competition and practice

• Courses: Used in embedded systems and robotics, among other things.
• Competition: Planning and implementation of Robocup Junior qualification tournaments at H-BRS in cooperation with CJD Königswinter.
• Student projects: Organisation, development and tournament support as part of the curriculum.
• Events: Presentation at study information days and trade fair appearances

Advantages for study and teaching

• Practical learning environment through real-world applications
• Promotion of project management and team skills
• Application of current content from embedded systems and robotics
• Concrete sense of achievement through functioning robot solutions

Technology & Further Development

• The ORB has an open design and allows the connection of a wide variety of sensors and actuators, even independently of proprietary systems such as LEGO Mindstorms or Makeblock.
• Programming is done in C++ or MicroPython.

In future, the platform will be made even more widely accessible:

• Open-source publication of hardware and software
• Expansion for new target groups such as school pupils and robotics clubs
• Search for new cooperation partners for further dissemination

Project start: 2018
Duration: Indefinite
Funded by: Cooperation with CJD Königswinter, Fraunhofer initiative ‘Open Roberta’