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PathFinder: A Smart Retrieval Robot for Optimal Sports Training Efficiency

CSEF · 2023 Applied Mechanics & Structures Honorable_mention Award

Labio Brandon, Yee Nathan · 8

Overview

Repetition is the key to the mastery of any skill, but the "Ball Collection Problem", which we define as the issue in sports of collecting balls after their dispersal, frequently prevents athletes from performing their necessary repetitions. While few sports have their solutions, there exists many that have left the issue untouched. In our experience, serving in volleyball is a key technique that must be practiced iteratively, yet our repetitions are often hindered by the need to retrieve the ball. To increase our understanding of the ball collection problem, we first defined a framework describing the system. Within this framework, we formulated five collection algorithms and then implemented them in Java to test which algorithms best fit certain sport configurations. To assess the effectiveness of the algorithms in the real world, we then created a robot using the VEX platforms. We found the most successful algorithm to be the Adaptive Nearest Algorithm, which reduces the tennis ball collection time by 95 percent, increasing the repetition rate to 155 percent. As for volleyball, our algorithm lowers collection time by one hundred percent, thereby raising repetition rate to 200 percent. Based on our results, the integration of technology into sports is a viable solution. Though our study targeted sports specifically, we believe the algorithms are also applicable to scenarios with a requirement to retrieve items remotely and autonomously. For instance, items may not be accessible in situations where they are in dangerous locations, such as emergency response, rescue, and disability assistance.

Source coverage

This record comes from a published award list, not a complete project archive. Its abstract comes from CSEF's public project showcase as archived by the Internet Archive before judging (https://web.archive.org/web/20230401224130/https://ca-csef.zfairs.com/showcase/ShowcaseInfo?f=838e60b7-ea75-46e8-865c-fde4864244b3); the version presented may differ.

Awards (1)

  • Category Award: HM

Competition history

  • CSEF 2023 Applied Mechanics & Structures · Entry J0325

Resources

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