PAL Robotics opens a Call for loan of 6 TIAGo Steel and 4 TIAGo Iron robots to teams who want to participate to the 1st ERL SciRoc Challenge. As SciRoc Platinum Sponsors, PAL offers the possibility of loaning a TIAGo to make it easier for teams to participate in this new and challenging robotics competition.

Teams showing outstanding expertise and innovative developments will have the chance to receive one of the TIAGo Steel and one of the TIAGo Iron robots for free. The application deadline is Friday 15^th February 2019 at 20:00 CET.

Find the full TIAGo loan conditions and application procedure here.

The SciRoc Challenge: robots assisting in Smart Cities

The first SciRoc Challenge merges tasks that robots have to accomplish in the different ERL Leagues: Consumer, Professional and Emergency. These selected tasks are integrated into a Smart Shopping Mall, where service robots like TIAGo help customers and create an innovative shopping experience. In fact, it is highly recommendable for SciRoc participating teams to take part in an ERL Consumer Tournament as a previous training.

Read more about the SciRoc Challenge here.

Steps to participate

Teams can apply to both types, TIAGo Steel and Iron, but can eventually receive only one. The first step to apply is to accomplish with a set of requirements, and email tiago@pal-robotics.com including the following documentation:

 Contact details for the team leader. University teams must also supply contact details for an academic supervisor.

• A one-page executive summary of the application.
• The team’s motivations behind their application.
• One-page CVs of the team members.
• A detailed description of the team’s specialisms and expertise, as well as past research and other achievements (limited to two pages).
• Videos of past achievements (with real robots or simulators).
• List of target episodes of the SciRoc challenge (the more episodes the more potential value the application will have).
• Detailed descriptions of how the teams plan to use the TIAGo to fulfill the tasks in each selected episode.
• Teams might be requested further documentation in case of need.

 PAL Robotics will announce the awarded teams on the 18^th February.

TIAGo for robotics competitions

TIAGo has proven its robustness and reliability in several international competitions - see the RoboCup@Home, the ERL Consumer Service Robots, the WRS and the MMH. Its modularity and expansion opportunities are two features that teams teams highly value in competitions.

Besides the onboard sensors and equipment, teams can hack TIAGo by connecting devices to expand its capabilities even more, from extra microphones, to AI-devices or extra cameras. This way, teams could adjust TIAGo’s skills to their specific needs and goals. TIAGo is 100% ROS based: remember that it has a public simulation model online along with a comprehensive set of tutorials that you can try even if you don’t have the robot.

The main difference between TIAGo Iron and Steel models is whether it has the 7-DoF arm. TIAGo Iron provides navigation, perception and Human-Robot Interaction skills. The Steel model adds to that list the grasping and manipulation skills in different heights - it is even able to reach the floor.

We strongly encourage teams to participate and apply for having a TIAGo to compete! Participating in robotics tournaments like the SciRoc Challenge or ERL triggers knowledge, reinforces collaboration between teams and enhances the whole robotics field. Good luck to all candidates!

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Press contact – PAL Robotics

Notes for editors

PAL Robotics

PAL Robotics’ mission is to create service robots that enhance quality of life. We started in 2004 when a small group of engineers built the first fully autonomous humanoid biped robot in Europe. With over 15 years of experience in R&D and service robotics, today we are known for the humanoid robots TALOS, REEM-C and REEM, and innovative solutions for mobile manipulation applications (TIAGo), industrial intralogistics (TIAGo Base) and retail challenges (StockBot). PAL Robotics is Platinum Sponsor of the 1st European Robotics League SciRoc Challenge.

The European Robotics League

The European Robotics League (ERL) is the successor to the RoCKIn, euRathlon and EuRoC robotics competitions, funded by the EU and designed to foster scientific progress and innovation in cognitive systems and robotics. The ERL comprises annual competitions for Consumer, Professional and Emergency Service Robots, and a biennial robotics challenge for Smart Cities. See: http://www.robotics-league.eu

SciRoc

The European Robotics League is run by the SciRoc project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme under grant agreement n° 780086. SciRoc continues to build the ERL; raising interest through public engagement, validating and disseminating new benchmarks, and accelerating development through demonstrating the performance of components and techniques against these benchmarks.  Setting the competitions in a Smart City context drives development towards real societal needs. See: http://sciroc.eu