An Electric Field Approach : A Strategy for Sony Four-Legged Robot Soccer

Abstract

Using physical analogies when solving computational problems is not uncommon. The Electric Field Approach is such an analogy using potential fields for describing the situation in a robotic soccer match and for proposing the next step in optimizing the situation. The approach was developed and implemented during the summer of 2000 and was later used and tested during the fourth Robot Soccer World Cup in Melbourne, Australia. The results of the games prove that the approach is applicable in this narrow but interesting domain, combining artificial intelligence and robotics. The theory of the approach is general and can also be applied on various other domains. This is not the first potential field approach, but the ability of both handling navigation and manipulation of the environment is unique.