Our Pi Wars 2024 Application: A Glimpse into Team Cyberwar’s Ambitious Plans

The excitement is building, and the gears of innovation are turning as Team Cyberwar embarks on its journey to participate in Pi Wars 2024. For those curious minds eager to peek behind the curtain of our (hopefully) successful Pi Wars application, or for those simply intrigued by our ambitious plans, this post provides an exclusive look at what we’ve submitted.

Pi Wars 2020 Application form

Team name

Team Cyberwar

Robot name (if different)

Overwhelming Surplus of Diggity

Team category

Advanced

Country

UK

Nearest town/city, county and country

HITCHIN

Name of team leader (real name, please)

Mark Mellors

Your e-mail address

[Redacted]

Contact telephone number

[Redacted]

Twitter handle

@markmellors

Details of your team and robot

Team details

Mark Mellors: Professional Mechanical Engineer, lead on the mechanical side of the robot.
Rob B: Professional Computerman, lead on the software side. Previously an adviser and supporter on Piradigm.
Robert K: Professional Magic Smoke Wizard.
No official connection to any companies or organisations.

Some details about your expected robot

Fully autonomous in all challenges, with 4 wheel drive and Ackerman steering.
Arrays of various sensors, including: internal (encoders and inertial measurement), proximity (distance sensors, reflective) and vision (pi camera), possibly supported by offboard sensors (e.g. UWB beacons).
Hot-swappable batteries, so no need to stop or power down for battery charging/changing. Auxiliary power port so can be run continuously in tethered mode with no recharging or battery changing required.
Two fuses/removable links, so logic and drive power can be protected and enabled separately.

Software: Separated architectural units. Fast IMU/encoder feedback with continuous location estimation, and route planning algorithms. Automated hardware self-test.

Attachments for challenges:
Lava Palaver: Base robot.
Eco-disaster: a barrel categorisation, segregation and storage system below the robot, so that all collected barrels of each type are deposited in one go at the end of the run.
Escape route: standard sensor configuration, no attachment.
Minesweeper: downward facing light sensors on each corner to detect lit panels as quickly as possible.
Zombie Apocalypse: will have a flywheel based soft foam ball launcher with vision based auto aiming supported by a pan and tilt servos.
Pi Noon: a flashing Infrared headlight attachment, with the flashing in sync with the camera frame rate, so we can do crude depth perception based on the change in brightness with/without headlight, and so accurately detect the opponents balloons.
Obstacle course: standard sensor arrangement.

What robotics experience do you have?

All the team have extensive experience in previous Pi Wars entries, fighting robots (big and small) and commercial robotics work.

Why do you want to enter Pi Wars? What is your motivation to design/build/program a robot? What are you looking to achieve? What are you looking to learn?

Retribution! To show that full autonomous is possible! But also, as before, to inspire, share and stretch ourselves.

Please select the challenge types that your robot will be competing in:

• Challenges run autonomously
• Challenges by remote control
• Pre-competition blogging challenge.

Getting some help

We do not require assistance.

Offering to help

Yes, I can offer to be a mentor or give help to another team.

Application supporting information

Were you accepted into the 2020 competition and ready to compete? If so, what was your team name

Yes, Robot name: Tauradigm

Have you been involved with Pi Wars before?

All the team have extensive experience in many previous Pi Wars entries. Also exhibiting with Bighak and a heavyweight fighting robot (rendered in cardboard), and AutonomousMicroPiNoon. Also helped a little with course construction (minimal maze painting) and on the setup days. Can help again with both if required.

File Upload

Some quick questions

Please confirm that you will be able to attend Pi Wars in person:

Yes, at least one member of our team will attend and under-18s will be accompanied

If not selected to compete, would you be happy to be a ‘Reserve’?

Yes

What Lies Ahead

As we eagerly await the results of our Pi Wars application, stay tuned for more updates on our progress, insights into our robot’s development, and a behind-the-scenes look at our quest for Pi Wars glory. The journey has just begun, and the excitement is palpable—let’s navigate these uncharted robotic waters together.