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2020-12-20
: SR2021 Issue 01
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The
Student Robotics (Almost) Weekly
Newsletter is a (roughly) fortnightly
newsletter which summarises the goings‐on
across Student Robotics. Emboldened
items are ones for which additional help
has been requested.
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Headlines
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SR(A)WN
is back for SR2021!
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After
a 1417 day hiatus, SR(A)WN is back to keep
you updated on news and developments
within Student Robotics. (Still almost
weekly, right?)
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Keep
up with SR(A)WN:
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Holiday
Social
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On
the 24th December 17:00 - 20:00 UTC
we will be having a festive social. We'll
likely be playing some games (Among Us,
Jackbox etc.) but nothing has been decided
yet so shout if there's something you
really want to do. The Google Meet link
will be in #social
on Slack if you want to join! |
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Discord
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We're
experimenting with using Discord this year
as opposed to the forums. If you'd like to
join and help answer questions or just
join in the banter with the teams, the
sign up link is pinned
in #general on Slack. |
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New
Trustee
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Thomas
Scarsbrook (better known as Scarzy) has
joined David and Diane on the Board of
Trustees.
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Competition
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The
Game
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Our
game this year, Radars
of the Lost Ark, challenges teams to
score points by claiming territories using
radios. Teams must navigate the arena
scanning for tower transmissions and
sending their own transmissions back to
claim territories. Teams are awarded
points at the end of the match for the
maximum extent of their territory at any
one time. |
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Game
Modules
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As
this competition year doesn’t feature a
physical competition event, the structure
of the competition has changed. The league
matches will take place on four weekends
throughout the year. After each league
session the game will gain additional
modules that will present new and
different challenges to the competitors.
If you have any cool ideas for modules
please share them in #game
on Slack or come along to a Competition
Meeting.
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Competition
Meetings
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We
have weekly Competition meetings on
Thursdays at 8:30, these are open to all
so feel free to drop in without notice or
on an ad-hoc basis. These meetings, and
any others, can be found on the volunteer
calendar. |
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Friendlies
Matches for Teams
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We're
looking to organise friendly matches for
the teams to have a chance to test their
code in a less stressful environment. A
chance for competitors to face off against
other teams, socialize, and get some
support from blueshirts. These will be
happening 1 week before each league
session at 10:30.
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Webots
Update
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Webots,
the simulation software behind the
competition simulator, released version
2021a with breaking changes. A
fix has been submitted to the
simulator so that 2020b and 2021a should
both work. |
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Kit
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Brain
Updates
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The
Brain Team is re-developing SR kit
software for the SR2022 cycle.
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- We have started working on
replacements for the legacy software
currently used with the SR kit.
- We now have developed an MVP
replacement for herdsman called Astoria,
which uses asynchronous Python and
JSON over MQTT. This software
primarily handles detecting and
loading student code from USB drives.
Documentation
is now available.
- We have also begun development on a
new Debian-based
system image, which we aim to
build for both ODROID and Raspberry Pi
boards.
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