Beach Bots

2010 Breakaway is played on 27' x 54' field divided into 3 sections by 13" high bumps. There are two goals for each alliance in the corners closest to their drivers stations. The game pieces are 12 standard size 5 soccer balls. At the beginning of the match, 6 balls are placed by the teams, 3 in the defensive zone, 2 in mid-field, and 1 in the offensive zone (closest to their goals).

Each match consists of a 15 second "autonomous mode", followed by two minutes of "operator control mode." During autonomous mode the robot works on its own using pre-programmed moves, utilizing sensor feedback in order to score points by kicking the balls into their goals. After this the operator control mode runs for two minutes. This is when the team's human drivers remotely control the robots and continue to score points by kicking the balls into the goals. The balls are returned to the mid-field by human players lifting them onto a ball return ramp using a trident device.

Each ball kicked into the goal scores one point. Robots can play defense and attempt to control the balls so the other alliance can't score. During the last 20 seconds of the match, bonus points can be earned by a robot connecting to the tower that supports the ball return, and lifting itself up off the field. Each robot that is elevated in this manner scores 2 bonus points. Additionally, 3 bonus points can be earned by a robot that can lift it self off the ground by connecting only to another alliance partner that is already elevated (hanging off the back of another robot that is hanging off the tower)!

Photos/Logos courtesy usFIRST.org