While some people are flocking to South Africa for FIFA’s 2010 World Cup, others are heading to Singapore for a different kind of soccer competition -- the RoboCup.
Wait, what is the RoboCup?
It’s a gathering of about 400 teams from all around the world who program robot players to compete in soccer games.
The competition is taking place from June 19 to June 25 at Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre and University of Pennsylvania is sending their robotics soccer team, a highly talented group of engineering students who call themselves the UPennalizers.
Penn’s team, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, is competing with the help of Professor Dan Lee from the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Programming includes algorithms and “training” the robots to recognize color differentiation and certain stimuli seen by the robots through their cameras. The UPennalizers and other teams in their division will have to program the players with their own codes.
Looks like the UPennalizers are bringing not only their games faces but also a sense of humor to Singapore. Their robots’ names are Clorox, Febreze, Lysol, and Mr. Clean.
Let’s hope Penn cleans up at RoboCup 2010.
