The object of this year’s game, “Overdrive”, is to race around a circular track while knocking down 40" inflated Trackballs and moving them around the track, passing them either over or under a 6.5 ft high overpass. Each match lasts 2 minutes and 15 seconds, and is divided into two parts – the hybrid mode and the teleoperated period. During the hybrid mode, which lasts 15 seconds, the robots are preprogrammed to travel around the track as many times as possible, and possibly remove their Trackballs from the overpass, to gain them as many points as possible. Previously known as autonomous mode, the name was changed because of the addition of a RoboCoach, who, with the use of a remote controller, can alter the motion of the robot during that period based upon more preprogrammed controls. After this begins the 2 minute tele-operated period, in which the robots race with the Trackballs. More points are awarded for balls passed over an overpass rather than under it, and points are awarded each time a robot completes a lap around the track. Bonus points are awarded to robots who are able to position the Trackballs back on the overpass by the end of the match. The tele-operated period is controlled by two drivers and one coach per team, as it has been in years past.
For the complete set of rules for the 2008 FIRST “Overdrive”, click here.
