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Add content for SP2024 #1

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2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions docs/competition/_category_.yml
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# Competition

The competition takes place on the Friday, and is the culmination of the teams' work.

Robots play a series of league matches against each other, scoring league points as they do,
which will then be used to determine the starting order in the knockouts. The knockouts eliminate
teams until a winner is determined.

A different set of roles is used during the competition, and this is detailed in the rota.

## Matches

Matches are short windows during which the game is played between robots in the arena.
A match slot is a period of time during which a match takes place; this includes some
time at the start (pre-game), some time at the end (post-game) and the game itself.
The pre-game and post-game time is used for resetting the arena between matches and
getting the next set of robots into the arena.

Screens positioned around the arena provide the timings which are followed by match officials.
It is, however, possible to delay the schedule where necessary.

## Match officials

A number of roles exist to ensure the efficient flow of matches. These include:

- Head Shepherd
- Acts as the match ops lead
- Communicates via radio with the shepherd to ensure missing teams are encouraged to attend
- Stationed at the entry desk to ensure only the correct teams enter the staging area
- Marshal
- Sees a robot through an entire match flow (staging/bading, scoring, exit)
- Shepherd
- Operates in the team pits to remind teams of their upcoming matches
- Acts as the link between volunteers in the team pits and those in/by the arena
- Score Entry
- Transfers the contents of the paper scoresheets to the competition software

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# Match processes

## Competitor arriving to a match

1. Competitor arrives with robot and checks in with Head Shepherd
2. If it's their match slot, Head Shepherd lets them in to staging
3. Competitor places robot on staging desk, in correct corner position
4. Badger ensures flag and competition USB are inserted into robot, and it turns on correctly
5. When instructed, competitors place robots in starting zones
1. Competitors do not walk through arena
2. Competitors only briefly enter the arena
3. Once robot is placed, competitors wait next to their robot
6. When instructed, competitors press the start button
1. They may press it multiple times if needed
2. They may not power cycle the robot
3. They may not enter the arena to start the robot - only leaning in (supported by 1 leg if needed)
4. Once started, the competitor waits next to their starting position, without moving too far

## Competitor leaving a match

1. At the end of the match, competitors do not enter the arena
2. When instructed, competitors promptly collect their robots and return it to the outbound desk
3. Competitors remove flag and competition USB, leave them on the desk, and then leave

## Post-match

1. Match ends
2. Marshals finalise scoring, conferring where necessary
3. Badger continues liaising with teams as needed
4. Once scored, marshals hold up their clipboards, signalling they're done
5. Competitors collect robots
6. Marshals begin resetting the arena
7. Inbound robots are positioned by competitors
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# Introduction

:::warning

This handbook isn't complete yet!

:::info
This handbook is up-to-date for the 2024 event.
:::

Welcome to the documentation for volunteers at the Smallpeice Computing, Electronics and Robotics summer school.

Over 5 days, we will help 50 sixth-form students to design, build, program and test fully autonomous robots,
before running a competition for them on the Friday afternoon.

You are not expected to read this handbook in its entirety, though please familiarise yourself with at least the following pages:

- [Volunteer structure](./volunteer-structure)
- [Volunteer area](./volunteer-area)
- [Morning briefings](./morning-briefings)
- [Robot safety](./robot-safety)

## What's what?

- The competition is organised by Southampton Robotics Outreach.
- It takes place at the University of Southampton, in the School of Electronics and Computer Science.
- Mostly in building 59 (New Zepler), sometimes in building 32 (EEE).
- The event is organised by Southampton Robotics Outreach.
- It takes place at the University of Southampton, in the School of Electronics and Computer Science.
- Mostly in building 59 (New Zepler), sometimes in building 32 (EEE).

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# Morning briefings

Each morning, please arrive in the [volunteer area](./volunteer-area) for 08:25.
The morning briefing will start promptly at 08:30, and last for approximately 15-20 minutes.

The briefings will consist of:

- The plan for the day
- Any items to note from the previous day (such as safety incidents etc.)
- An overview of where teams are at
- This is to allow roving mentors to have an idea of which teams need extra support
- An opportunity for all volunteers to synchronise and raise suggestions/concerns

You are welcome to bring your own breakfast to the briefings too.

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# Robot safety

Ensuring that all robots are safe to operate is incredibly important for the safety
of everyone at the event.

For this reason, we should aim to ensure robots are safe at all stages throughout
the event.

## Safety criteria

Robots should be checked against the following criteria:

- The battery is protected and securely attached to the robot
- No hazardous sharp edges are present
- The correct wire gauge is used
- No loose wires are present
- Wires are not exposed at terminals; the insulation must extend all the way to the screw terminal but must not itself be screwed down, as this will cause poor contact
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# Assigned Mentor

Assigned mentors are allocated to two consecutive teams, with which they spend
the majority of the week. They are not expected to have technical knowledge,
rather they there to ensure teams make progress on their robots, and to serve
as a first port of call for any questions.

## Responsibilities

- Ensure their teams are focused and making sufficient progress
- Answer any general questions about the event
- Escalate technical questions to roving mentors
- Raise any issues or concerns with the event director
- Provide a summary of their teams' progress at each [morning briefing](../morning-briefings)

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# Roving Mentor

Roving mentors are tasked with wandering around the team areas to provide technical support
to students. At each morning briefing, some roving mentors may be assigned to work with
particular teams initially to help resolve issues from the previous day.

## Responsibilities

- Provide technical support to teams and assigned mentors
- Use information from the morning briefings to prioritise support
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# Friday

## Schedule

| Time | Activity | Location |
| ----- | ----------------------------- | ---------------- |
| 08:30 | Volunteer briefing | Clubs & socs |
| 09:00 | Competition briefing | The Cube |
| 09:15 | Tinker time | Bar 2 / The Cube |
| 10:30 | Break | Bar 2 |
| 10:45 | Competition (League) | The Cube |
| 12:15 | Lunch | Clubs & socs |
| 13:00 | Competition (Knockouts) | The Cube |
| 14:00 | Closing address & prizegiving | The Cube |
| 14:30 | Students depart | - |
| 14:45 | Teardown | SUSU |

## Competition briefing

The competition briefing is used to inform the students how the competition will run.
This will be led by the front of house volunteer.

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# Schedule overview

| Day | Activities |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Monday](./monday) | Introductions, mechanics workshop, robot hacking |
| [Tuesday](./tuesday) | Academic talk, 2 sponsor talks, electronics workshop, robotics workshop, robot hacking |
| [Wednesday](./wednesday) | Lab tours, academic talk, robot hacking (inc. after dinner) |
| [Thursday](./thursday) | Move to The Cube, robot hacking, lightning talks after dinner |
| [Friday](./friday) | Competition briefing, tinker time, competition, closing address & prizegiving |

:::info
The schedules listed in each day is written with volunteers in mind, hence it may look slightly different
to the programme given to students.

Speak to the event director if you have any questions about the schedule at any point.
:::

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# Monday

## Schedule

| Time | Activity | Location |
| ----- | --------------------------------- | -------------- |
| 08:15 | Volunteer briefing | Volunteer area |
| 08:45 | Mentor training | Level 2 Lab |
| | SUSU setup | Building 42 |
| 11:15 | SRO Intro Presentation (FoH, AMs) | B32/1015 |
| 12:10 | Lunch | Volunteer area |
| 13:10 | Workshop: Mechanics | Level 2 Lab |
| 15:30 | Break | Volunteer area |
| 15:45 | Robot hacking | Level 2 Lab |
| 18:00 | Dinner | TBD |

## Mechanics Workshop

The mechanics workshop is designed to support the teams with the initial design and creation of their robot.
This includes assembling the structure of their robot with aluminium extrusion and other materials, as well
as attaching wheels, motors and other accessories.

This also includes attaching boards to their robot and wiring them up.

The provided USB stick contains code that will drive the robot forward with a small amount of power for a small
amount of time. By the end of the workshop, every team should be able to connect the USB stick and observe their
robot moving.

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# Thursday

## Schedule

| Time | Activity | Location |
| ----- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------- |
| 08:30 | Volunteer briefing | Volunteer area |
| 09:00 | Robot hacking / moving to SUSU | Level 2 Lab / Building 42 |
| 11:15 | Break | Building 42 |
| 11:30 | Robot hacking | Level 2 Lab / Building 42 |
| 12:30 | Lunch | Clubs & Socs |
| 13:35 | Robot hacking | Building 42 |
| 15:00 | Break | Building 42 |
| 15:15 | Robot hacking | Building 42 |
| 18:00 | Dinner | B38 Terrace Restaurant |
| 19:30 | Lightning Talks | B32/1015 |
| 20:30 | End of Day | - |

## Move to SUSU

In preparation for the competition, teams will move to Building 42.
Not all teams are required to move immediately, but we will work with the following constraints:

- All teams must have moved to B42 by lunch
- Teams must remain with their assigned mentor, so both teams must move at the same time
- Teams should avoid remaining in the lab any longer than strictly necessary

## Lightning talks

The lightning talks are an opportunity for the teams to present their work to each other.
Each team will deliver a short (roughly 2 minutes) presentation on their robot. They are free
to choose the content of this, but may wish to talk about the design, strategy and and particularly
unique features.

Every member of the audience (including volunteers) will have a voting form, on which they can distribute
10 votes between the other teams. They can distribute these however they choose.

Following the voting, the forms will be collected, votes will be counted and the top three teams will be determined.
These teams will be given league points as a reward.

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# Tuesday

## Schedule

| Time | Activity | Location |
| ----- | --------------------------- | -------------- |
| 08:30 | Volunteer briefing | Volunteer area |
| 09:00 | Academic talk (Speaker TBC) | B32/1015 |
| 10:00 | Break | Volunteer area |
| 10:30 | Workshop: Electronics | Level 2 Lab |
| 12:00 | Lunch | Volunteer area |
| 13:10 | Sponsor talk | B32/1015 |
| 14:15 | Workshop: Robotics | Level 3 lab |
| 15:30 | Break | Volunteer area |
| 15:50 | Sponsor talk | B32/1015 |
| 16:25 | Robot hacking | Level 2 Lab |
| 18:00 | Dinner | TBC |

## Academic talk

Most, if not all, mentors will attend the academic talk.

## Sponsor talks

We will likely send a couple of volunteers to the sponsor talks, but this will be decided on the day.

## Electronics workshop

The electronics workshop is an opportunity for students to get a hands-on experience of working with
electronics, whilst also making progress on their robot. A variety of components will be available,
along with guides to using them to create sensors for their robot. Teams are only expected to build
the sensors they need, but there are league points available for teams that complete the whole workshop.
The cut-off for this is dinner on Wednesday.

To provide as much support as possible, it is expected that volunteers working in SUSU will return to the
lab for the duration of the electronics workshop.

## Robotics workshop

The robotics workshop will teach the students how to program a robot. We will use the level 3 computing lab
for this, as well as a simulator that they can use to test their code.

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