[robocup-small] SSL Rule Changes for RoboCup 2005

[David Ball]

Dear Small Size League Community,

This email is to announce the rule changes for RoboCup 2005. The 
Technical Committee has considered your advice, some rule changes have 
been kept, some have been modified and some have been removed. Note that 
change 10 is formally adding a change that was agreed to at RoboCup 2004 
at a team leaders meeting.

It may seem that there are many rule changes for 2005 that will require 
a lot of work to update your robot system. Compared to last year the 
rules changes are minimal. There are 10 rule changes. Of these, changes 
6 and 10 are just bringing the rules in line with what occured at 
RoboCup 2004. Changes 2 and 5 are really the same change.

The rule changes will be incorporated into the online rules after teams 
have had a chance to look through the changes.

Regards,
David Ball
TC and OC Member for RoboCup 2005.

*** 1. Dribbling Rule Change
LAW 12
2004 - "dribbles the ball over a distance greater than 300 mm"
2005 - "dribbles the ball over a distance greater than 500 mm"

LAW 12 - Decision 5 changes from:
2004 - "Dribbling is defined as the active exertion of backspin on the 
ball which keeps the ball in contact with the robot (see Law 4). This 
distance restriction begins when a robot starts dribbling and continues 
until the robot loses possession of the ball, even if the robot later 
stops dribbling. Loss of possession is defined as an observable 
separation between the ball and the robot."
2005 - "A robot begins dribbling when it makes contact with the ball and 
stops dribbling when there is an observable seperation between the ball 
and the robot."

*** 2. Restart Change
LAW 15
2004 - "from the point from where it crossed the touch boundary"
2005 - "from the point 100 mm perpendicular to the touch boundary from 
where the ball crossed the touch boundary"

NOTE ON THIS CHANGE:
The TC would like to persevere with no walls for one more year to see if 
gameplay improves.

*** 3. Neutral Restart from Referee Box
The following will be added to the end of LAWs 8, 13-17.
"
* Decision [insert appropriate number]
A neutral restart serial signal will be automatically sent 10 seconds 
after the free kick\indirect free kick\start signal, unless another 
serial signal is sent within this time. This decision provides a 
mechanism for automatically restarting play for when a team is unable to 
bring the ball back into play.
"

*** 4. Wireless Communication
LAW 4 - Decision 1
2004 - "Participants using wireless communications shall notify the 
local organizing committee of the method of wireless communication, 
power, and frequency. The local organizing committee shall be notified 
of any change after registration as soon as possible.
In order to avoid interference, a team should be able to select from two 
carrier frequencies before the match. The type of wireless communication 
shall follow legal regulations of the country where the competition is 
held. Compliance with local laws is the responsibility of the competing 
teams, not the RoboCup Federation."
2005 - "Participants using wireless communications shall notify the 
local organizing committee of the method of wireless communication, 
power, and frequency. The local organizing committee shall be notified 
of any change after registration as soon as possible.
In order to avoid interference, a team should be able to select from two 
carrier frequencies before the match. The type of wireless communication 
shall follow legal regulations of the country where the competition is 
held. Compliance with local laws is the responsibility of the competing 
teams, not the RoboCup Federation. The type of wireless communication 
may also be restricted by the local organising committee. The local 
organising committee will announce any restrictions to the community as 
early as possible."

Add to the end of LAW 4
"
* Decision 4
Bluetooth wireless communication is not allowed.
"

*** 5. Corner kick change.
LAW 17 under procedure, will be modified as follows:
2004 - "the ball is kicked from the nearest corner"
2005 - "the ball is kicked from the nearest corner, 100mm in from both 
the goal line and the touch line"

*** 6. Standardising of colour for vision.
Based on the feedback from the community this rule change will not go 
through for 2005, in fact it will go the other way. Based on the 
response the following change will be made to the rules. LAW 4 - Colour 
and Markers
2004 - "Robots may use black and white colouring without restriction. 
Robots may also use light green, light pink and cyan markers where the 
colours are defined by cardboard sheets distributed in advance by the 
local organizing committee."
2005 -  "Robots may use black and white colouring without restriction. 
Robots may also use light green, light pink and cyan markers."

*** 7. 6 Robots per team
Based on the feedback from the community this rule change will not go 
through for 2005. There will be no change to the rules.

*** 8. 12 minute + 5 minute halfs
Based on the feedback from the community this rule change will not go 
through for 2005. There will be no change to the rules.

*** 9. Chip Kicker Limitation
In LAWS 8, 13, 15-17 under the Infringements/Sanctions heading the 
following will be added.
" If the kicker touches the ball and the centre of the ball reaches a 
height of 150mm before touching the ground:
* an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team to be taken from 
the place where the infringement occurred
"
Regarding the 20% rule and chip kickers. This will be enforced at 
RoboCup 2005. At no instant of time should a robot violate the 20% rule. 
This is the cleanest solution and since it is possible to build a chip 
kicker without violating the 20% rule why complicate this rule and have 
potential unforeseeable consequences. Be prepared to defend your chip 
kicker (or any other kicker for that matter) design at RoboCup 2005.

*** 10. Distance to be maintained from ball during restarts to 500mm
This change was implemented at RoboCup 2004 but was not formally added 
into the rules. It involves increasing the distance that robot must 
maintain from the ball during appropriate restarts and when the ref is 
moving the ball from 400mm to 500mm and all related distances. The 
following changes are to be made to the LAWS.

LAW 1
2004 - "The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway 
line. A circle with a diameter of 800 mm is marked around it."
2005 - "The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway 
line. A circle with a diameter of 1000 mm is marked around it."

LAW 5
2004 - "The whistle signal indicates that the referee has stopped play, 
and that all robots should move 400 mm from the ball to allow the 
referee to place the ball for a restart. All robots are required to 
remain 400 mm from the ball as the ball is moved to the restart position."
2005 - "The whistle signal indicates that the referee has stopped play, 
and that all robots should move 500 mm from the ball to allow the 
referee to place the ball for a restart. All robots are required to 
remain 500 mm from the ball as the ball is moved to the restart position."

LAW 8
2004 - "the opponents of the team taking the kick-off are at least 400 
mm from the ball until the ball is in play"
2005 - "the opponents of the team taking the kick-off are at least 500 
mm from the ball until the ball is in play"
2004 - "The referee places the ball at the place where it was located 
when play was stopped. By Law 9, all robots are required to remain 400mm 
from the ball while the ball is being placed. Play restarts when the 
referee gives a signal."
2005 - "The referee places the ball at the place where it was located 
when play was stopped. By Law 9, all robots are required to remain 500mm 
from the ball while the ball is being placed. Play restarts when the 
referee gives a signal."
2004 - "if a robot comes within 400 mm of the ball before the referee 
gives the signal"
2005 - "if a robot comes within 500 mm of the ball before the referee 
gives the signal"

LAW 9
2004 - "When the ball goes out of play, robots should remain 400 mm from 
the ball as the ball is placed, until the restart signal is given by the 
referee."
2005 - "When the ball goes out of play, robots should remain 500 mm from 
the ball as the ball is placed, until the restart signal is given by the 
referee."

LAW 13
2004 - "If the free kick is awarded inside the defence area the free 
kick is taken from a point 500mm from the goal line on the touch line 
that is closest to where the infringement occurred.
If the free kick is awarded to the attacking team within 600 mm of the 
defence area, the ball is moved to the closest point 600 mm from the 
defence area.
Otherwise the free kick is taken from the place where the infringement 
occurred.
All opponent robots are at least 400 mm from the ball.
The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves."
2005 - "If the free kick is awarded inside the defence area the free 
kick is taken from a point 600mm from the goal line on the touch line 
that is closest to where the infringement occurred.
If the free kick is awarded to the attacking team within 700 mm of the 
defence area, the ball is moved to the closest point 700 mm from the 
defence area.
Otherwise the free kick is taken from the place where the infringement 
occurred.
All opponent robots are at least 500 mm from the ball.
The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves."

LAW 15
2004 - "All opponent robots are at least 400 mm from the ball."
2005 - "All opponent robots are at least 500 mm from the ball."

LAW 16
2004 - "opponents remain 400 mm from the ball until the ball is in play"
2005 - "opponents remain 500 mm from the ball until the ball is in play"

LAW 17
2004 - "opponents remain 400 mm from the ball until the ball is in play"
2005 - "opponents remain 500 mm from the ball until the ball is in play"
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