Students from Laval University in Quebec City used iglide J on a robot that competed in RoboCup 2005, a unique robotics competition aimed at promoting artificial intelligence. The international event is an educational initiative that invites schools from around the globe to create autonomous robots in order to examine and integrate different technologies.

The Laval University team, comprised of twenty-five students, took a seat to watch the game, instead of taking hold of the controls at RoboCupSoccer, the central focus of the RoboCup activities. The team created its robot specifically for the Small Robot League where entries cannot exceed 22 centimeters in height or 18 centimeters in diameter.

After receiving a free supply of bearings in conjunction with igus' Y.E.S. (Young Engineers Support) Program, aimed at furthering the mechanical design ideas of students, the team used iglide J to effectively decrease the amount of friction between the robot's structure and the wheels' stainless steel shaft. This eliminated any loss of power to the robot's transmission.

At the North American RoboCup US Open 2005, the team's robot had to, without any human intervention, follow the orders of a ground-located computer to move and strike a small ball. To accomplish this goal, the robot was equipped with artificial vision that enabled it to determine the location of the "players", the ball and the goal.

The team was classed in third position at the event and intends to continue competing in annual RoboCup challenges. Igus GmbH, igus, Inc.'s parent company in Cologne, Germany is an official sponsor of the 2006 RoboCup.

igus, inc.

Canadian Industrial Equipment News September 2006

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