Field Size A table tennis table is used as the pitch for the official match. The size and colour of the table is officially determined as the international standard for table tennis. It is 152.5cm by 274cm, and color is green. Details shall be given in the figure. Every effort shall be made to ensure that the table is flat, however, it is up to individual teams to design there robots to cope with slight curvatures of the surface. An image of the field is here Four small panels are attached to the corners to avoid balls getting stuck. As shown in the figure below, it is located 3 cm from the corner for each axis. Green strips of width 1cm are painted on the corners to identify the edge of the panel. For details of the table tennis table, please refer to the International Table Tennis Federation, Regulations. The regulation concerning the height of the table do not apply. We will provide an appropriate height for the RoboCup competition, which will be chosen to aid the global vision systems. Robot The total floor area occupied by a robot should not be more than 180 square centimeters, and the maximum length of the body shall not be more than 18 centimeters. Height of the robot, if the team is using a global-vision system is restricted to less than 15 centimeters, otherwise the robot height is 22.5 centimeters. If a robot is to exceed the size for any reason advice should be sought from the co-chairs before the competition. The robots will be examined by the referee before the game to ensure that it fulfills this requirement. Whilst being inspected the robot must be at its maximum size, anything which protrudes from the robot must be extended. Team A team should consists of no more than 5 robots. Goals The width of the goal is 50 cm, which is approximately 1/3 of the length of the shorter end of the field. The goal is 18 centimeters deep. The 10 centimeter wall continues behind the goal, and there is no safety net over the goal. Robots can not fall off the playing area because of the wall. The wall and area behind the goal line will be coloured either dark blue or dark yellow, as will the walls around the goal. It should be noted that a robot my use the area behind the goal. Ball Orange golf ball shall be used. Colorings Colors of each part of the field are as follows: Field shall be dark green. Since ITTF's color regulation is flexible, there may be slight difference in the color of the table. The designer of the robot shall take this fact in consideration. Walls are white. Ball is orange. The behind goal area is either dark blue or yellow (one end is dark blue and the other yellow). Lines are drawn in white. Some markers on corners and goals. Markers on the robot as specified below. Coloring is a very sensitive issue, because it is very difficult to guarantee exact color which will be used at the competition. It also changes depends on lighting. While the organizer will make a sincere effort to provide standard color, the designer shall design their robot robust enough to cope with variations in color. Each team will be given certain amount of time to fine-tune their robot for the actual fields and settings on a day before the competition. Markings for robots need to enable visibility from above (for global vision) and from the playing field (for mobile vision). To support this, robots will be marked using colored ping-pong balls mounted on their top surfaces placed so they do not touch. Unless the shape of the robot does not allow it the two markers must lie on the axis of movement. If this is not possible the relationship between the marker placements and the axis of movement must be advertised before the competition. One of the markers will be specified as either yellow or dark blue (at the start of each game by the referee). Each team must be able to use either color as the primary color. The second marker can be any color provided the team has registered the colors to be used before the start of the competition. The color can be different from one robot to the next. For mounting purposes, ping pong balls will be drilled with two small holes (approx. 1-2 mm) through their axis to provide for mounting on a spindle. Each robot will be fitted with two spindles of equal height above the ground for holding the balls. Table markings A 1 centimeter thick white line will be painted across the table (the center line), with a center circle 25 centimeters in diameter placed in the center of the table. Length of the game The games consists of the first half, break, and the second half. Each of them is 10 minutes. Each time will be allowed some set up time at the start of the game. Wall A wall shall be placed all around the field, including behind the goals. The wall shall be painted in white and shall be 10 centimeters high. Behind the goals it will be painted in the colours as already described. Defense Zone A defense zone is created around each of the goals. It is 22.5 centimeters from the goal line and 100 centimeters wide. The boarder of the defense zone will be painted in white, with the width of 1cm. Only one robot from each team can enter this area. A brief passing and accidental entry of other robots are permitted, but intentional entry and stay is prohibited. Once a defending robot (goal keeper) has hold of the ball or is facing and in contact with the ball then the attacking robot must leave the area. The attacking robot can not interfere with the goal keeper. Given the size of the defense zone a robot is said to be in the defense zone if any part of it is within the area. Also, an attack robot can not intentionally interfere with the movement of the defenders robot in the defense zone. A robot can not be used to block the movement of the goal keeper. Wireless Communications Robot can use wireless communication to computers and network located outside of the field. The method of wireless communication, power, and frequency shall be notified at the time of registration (by the 1st of May). Any change after the registration shall be notified to the tournament committee as soon as possible. In order to avoid interference, a team should be able to select two carrier frequencies before the match. The type of the wireless communication shall follow legal regulations of the country where the competition is held. Global Vision System / External Distributed Vision System The use of a global vision system and an external distributed vision system is permitted, not required, to identify and track the position of robots and balls. This is achieved by using one or more cameras. The height of the beam will be at least 2 meters above the table. The placement of cameras is performed on a game by game basis, and the teams choose camera positions by tossing a coin to find which team places a camera first. The use of the global vision system shall be notified at the time of register, and detailed arrangements shall be discussed with the RoboCup organizing committee. The local organizer will inform all participants of the camera attachments required to use the beam provided. Lighting Separately defined strength of lighting will be provided. This is currently said to be between 700-1000 LUX uniform light. Goal Keepers Goal keeper can hold and manipulate a ball for up to 10 seconds within its penalty area. After releasing the ball, the keeper must not recapture the ball until it touches any opponent, or a member of its own team outside the penalty area. If the ball is released by the keeper and it reaches the half way line of without touching any other robots, the opponent is given an indirect free kick positioned anywhere along the half way line (borrowed from Futsal rule). During play Substitutions can not occur during play, unless a robot is damaged. If a robot is damaged the referee will stop play and the team will have no more the 5 minutes to remove, repair or replace the damaged robot. All time for stoppages will be added to the end of the half they occur in. The ball has to go forwards at a kick-off or restart. In general hand movement of robots is not acceptable. For teams not using a global vision system at kick-offs and restarts a member of the team may allow one person on the pitch to place robots. The ball may be lifted during play. However, the height of the ball from the table must not endanger spectators, the referees or human team members!! Kickoff/Restart/Stop For the kickoff, restart, or stoppage (penalty, free kick etc) of the game, the umpire will call verbally, or by whistle, and the operator of the team can send signals to robots. The signal can be entered through a keyboard attached to a server being used on the side lines. Robot positions at kickoff/Restart Kickoff All robots shall be in located in their side of the field. Only one robot from the side to kick the ball shall be in the center circle. Penalty Kick Only a goal keeper shall be in the defense zone, and the ball shall be located at the specified position (as determined by the referee). All other robots shall be located at least 15 cm behind the robot which kicks the ball. Robots other than the goal keeper and the kicker cannot move until the kicker kicks the ball. Free Kick Currently, all free kicks, or restarts after other stoppages will take the form of a kickoff If a team has been fouled then the team will be awarded the free kick otherwise the team last to have touched the ball will have the kick off. Restart after the goal The restart after the goal shall adopt the same formation as the kickoff Throw-in When the ball fell-off from the wall, the ball will be returned immediately to the field, and located approximately 5cm inside of the wall, where the ball fell-off. No other robot shall enter 15 cm from the ball. A robot of the team which did not push the ball out of play will be located in front of the ball. During this period, the robot can continue to move, and the time counting continues. Lack of progress If it is deemed by the referee that the game has stopped then a free kick is awarded to the team which last touched the ball. A game is considered stopped of that ball has not been touched by a robot for 30 seconds and it appears that no robots are likely to hit the ball. Fouls Following fouls are defined: Multiple Defense When more than one robot of the defending side enters the defense zone to substantially affects the game. The foul will be called, and the penalty kick will be declared. Ball Holding A player cannot 'hold' a ball unless it is a goal keeper in its penalty area. Holding a ball means taking a full control of the ball by removing its entire degrees of freedom; typically, fixing a ball to the body or surrounding a ball using the body to prevent accesses by others. In general 80% of the ball should be outside the a convex hull around the robot. This is up to the referee to judge whether a robot is holding the ball. In general another robot should be able to remove the ball from another player. It a robot is deemed to be holding the ball then a free kick will be declared. If this happens in the defense zone by the defense team, a penalty kick will be declared. Court Modification Modification or damage to the court and the ball is forbidden. Should this occur, the game is suspended and the appropriate restoration is done immediately before the game resumes. Robot Halting All the players must be halted prior to kickoff or restarting of the game. The judges check or adjust the placements of the players and declares the completion of adjustment 5 seconds before indicating a kickoff or a restart action. During this 5 seconds, the players can not move. Offside Off side rule is not adopted. Charging Unless during striving for a ball, a player must not attack another. In case the umpire clearly observes such an act, it is regarded as a violent action. Then the umpire presents a red card to the responsible player ordering it to leave the game. The judgment is done based on an external appearance. In general, it is unacceptable for multiple robots to charge a single robot, and it is also unacceptable to hit the back of a robot even if it has the ball and it is unacceptable to push along the table another player .The exact interpretation of what is acceptable is left to the referee. Throughout the game, if a player utilizes a device or an action which continuously exerts, or whose primal purpose appears to be, serious damages to other robot's functions, the umpire can present a yellow card as a warning to the responsible player, and order it to go outside the court and correct the problem. Once the correction is made, the robot can resume to the game under an approval by the umpire. In case the problem is repeated, the umpire presents a red card to the responsible player telling it to leave the game. This rule could be invoked on a robot should it continuously charge a robot whilst attempting to tackle the robot. Aside from the above items, no regulations are placed against possible body contacts, charging, dangerous plays, obstructions etc. However, it is expected that the aim of all teams is to play a fair and clean game of football. Conflict Resolution Resolution of dispute and interpretation of ambiguity of rules shall be made by three officials, who will act as umpires, designated prior to the match. The umpires shall not have any conflict of interest to teams in the match. The umpires may consult with the tournament officials of the RoboCup for resolving conflicts. Ambiguities shall be resolved by referring to FIFA official regulations, where appropriate. Specific modifications to the rules to allow for special problems and/or capabilities of a team's robots may be agreed to at the time of of the competition, provided a majority of the contestants agree.
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