Competing in the RoboCup ARM Challenge: challenges and triumphs

Hi there! My name is Mohammad, and I’m a postgraduate student at King’s College London, specialising in robotics. My interest in advancing technology and hands-on problem-solving led me to join five classmates in competing in the RoboCup Autonomous Robot Manipulation (ARM) Challenge.

We called our team ‘Kingsbot’ as a nod to our university. This experience was more than just a test of our skills; it was a journey filled with excitement, challenges and unforgettable moments.

RoboCup is an international competition that unites teams from around the world to tackle complex problems related to autonomous robots. The ARM Challenge focuses on robot manipulation, where robots interact with objects – picking up and placing items accurately and efficiently in their environment.

While it might seem straightforward, this task involves complex software such as Robot Operating System (ROS), Ubuntu and deep learning algorithms, as well as programming languages like MATLAB and Python. Fortunately, these are exactly the areas we've been deeply immersed in during our Robotics MSc at King’s.

Our journey began with a successful first round in the simulation competition held at King’s, where we placed in the top four out of 24 global teams. This achievement secured us a spot in the finals, held in Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. We were beyond excited not only to compete in person but also to work with a real UR5 robotic arm, a top-of-the-line piece of equipment used in industry.

When we arrived in Eindhoven, the city’s enthusiasm for RoboCup was unmistakable. Posters and banners welcomed us, adding to the thrill. However, as soon as we started testing, reality hit us hard. Much of the code we had carefully developed for the simulation wasn’t fully compatible with the UR5 robots at the venue. It felt like starting from scratch, and we had only three days to get everything up and running.

The tight schedule meant that two full days were dedicated to testing, with the official competition taking place on the third day. We quickly realised that our object detection model, designed to recognise specific items to help the robot grasp them, needed retraining to work with the objects at the venue. This was unexpected and threw us off balance.

Instead of panicking, we divided the tasks efficiently. Each of us took charge of different aspects, and even at 2 in the morning, we were still refining our code to perfection. One of our teammates, who couldn’t join us in person, stayed in constant contact with us from afar, offering crucial support and advice through video calls late into the night.

Our hard work and determination paid off. Despite the setbacks, we secured second place in the competition. This was a moment of immense pride for all of us. We not only demonstrated our technical skills but also gained invaluable lessons about perseverance and problem-solving under pressure.

Looking back, this competition was more than just an academic exercise; it was a deeply rewarding bonding experience that highlighted the importance of teamwork and adaptive, practical problem-solving – skills vital for future careers in industry. We’re all incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent King’s College London on such a prestigious platform.

We owe our success to the unwavering support from our advisor, Dr Shan, and the entire University. This experience has fueled our motivation to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve in the field of robotics. Who knows what challenges and triumphs the future holds? All I know is that we’re ready to face them, pulling ourselves forward one robotic arm at a time.