[robocup-nao] a few discussion items for Nao

[Oskar von Stryk]

Dear SPL-Nao Teams,

On Wed, 14 May 2008, Michael Quinlan wrote:
<...>
> 3) Rules are at
> http://www.tzi.de/4legged/pub/Website/Downloads/NaoRules2008.pdf , this
> is linked on the front page of the SPL website.

Please allow me some comments based on my experience as an active member 
of the Four-Legged/SPL League since 2001 and the Humanoid League since 2004:

Because of the lack of preparation time and of maturnity of the new Nao
hardware most teams will be fighting with very basic problems
like fast and stable humanoid motions for walking, kicking, falling and 
getting up as well as localization on the field
(very similar to the first years of the humanoid league!).

I am relieved to see that the plan of using the new large four-legged 
field has been dropped and the same playing field size
as in the humanoid kidsize league has been chosen now.

I am wondering why the Nao league is not simply
- playing 3 vs. 3
 	(pro: enabling the teams having one replacement player)
- using the humanoid kid size goals and poles,
 	(pro: localization becomes easier than in current setup,
 	Nao teams will have lots of other problems to solve besides
 	localization)
see PDF linked at
http://lists.cc.gatech.edu/pipermail/robocup-humanoid/2008/000342.html

Further advantages are
- Goals and posts field are already planned for Suzhou, it is
 	easy to have some more,
- Exchange with RoboCup humanoid kid size league will be facilitated also.

Exchange would be further facilitated if the same field lines as in the 
humanoid league would be used.


Team uniforms will have no use for the Nao teams in 2008 for
player recognition because there will be more basic problems to be solved.
They will therefore be only useful for the spectators and referees.
But for this purpose one could as well use other types
of markers to identify players of different teams,
e.g., removable colored numbers on the robot heads.


Please be prepared that many games may be ending with a draw.
The humanoid league has established an efficient procedure
for penalty kicks in knock-out games ending in a draw
and if both teams have not been able to kick
towards the opponents goal line during the game (see the humanoid rules).


Being a member of the technical committee of the humanoid league
I am also surprised that there was yet not a single intent of
inter league communication and discussion between the TCs of the new 
standard platform humanoid league and the established humanoid league.

Of course, every league has its right to repeat the experiences
already made in other leagues. But in no other RoboCup leagues
the platforms and problems are so related as in the humanoid league
and the new Nao league.

For the future, I think it would be much more efficient for the
progress of each league and of RoboCup as a whole
if at least the technical committees of Nao and humanoid league would
be discussing ways of cooperation and exchange.

Just my 5 cents.

With best regards,
Oskar von Stryk