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A look back at the intense adventure of the 7robot team in La Roche-sur-Yon for the French Robotics Cup. Between hazelnut storage strategy, cutting-edge tech, and sleepless nights, we tell you everything!
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The Coupe de France de Robotique remains the unmissable event of the year for all tech enthusiasts. This year, the entire 7robot team packed their bags for the Parc des Expositions in La Roche-sur-Yon with a single goal: to make our new autonomous robot shine against the best teams in the country.
The Challenge: "Winter is Coming" ❄️
The theme imposed this year required treasures of ingenuity in mechanics and programming. Inspired by nature (and a bit by pop-culture), the scenario featured squirrels having to store hazelnuts to spend the winter in the warm, after stealing them from humans distracted by their coffee break.
In 100 seconds flat on the match table, our robots had to accomplish several complex actions in complete autonomy:
The harvest: Spot and retrieve crates full of hazelnuts.
Nest logistics: Transport and sort the crates in a stable manner in our storage area.
Thermal management: Adjust the table's thermometer slider to the ideal temperature.
The bonus action (The Pamis): Deploy our auxiliary mini-robots in the final 15 seconds of the match to secure critical points.
Our Technical Specification
To meet these demanding specifications, our technical department developed a custom-made architecture:
Component / System | Choice of team 7robot | Objective on the table |
Chassis & Propulsion | 3-wheel odo-motorized rolling base | Smooth movements and ultra-precise repositioning thanks to a lidar |
Vision System | Onboards camera with image processing (ArUco markers) | Detection of hazelnut crates. |
Main Actuator | Robotic arm with suction cups to fill a cylinder | Grabbing crates to store them (strategy) and then flipping them over if needed. |
Electronics | Custom-built PCB | Reliability of connections and reduction of parasitic wiring. |
Onboard computer | Latte panda sigma board with ROS 2 | Strategy and reliable control of the robot, the conductor. |
An intense journey all the way to the round of 16! 🚀
After months of design, intensive coding, and late-night debugging sessions, the reality of the field was waiting for us. Homologation – the crucial stage where the referees check that the robot strictly complies with the rules and safety guidelines – went brilliantly.
During the group stages, our strategy based on consistency and active avoidance paid off. The robot put together solid matches, optimising the positioning of the crates while releasing our Pamis with perfect timing.
Thanks to this superb momentum, 7robot made it to the round of 16, ranking among the 9 best teams in France for this edition! An immense source of pride for the entire association, considering the incredible technical level of the competing clubs this year.
What we take away from this edition: Beyond the score, the Coupe de France is an incomparable human adventure. It's the mutual help in the stands, the technical solutions found at the last minute with a soldering iron in hand, and the pleasure of seeing our code come to life on the playing table.
A huge thank you to our partners, to the school. Brains are already overheating and 3D printers are running at full speed to prepare for what's next. See you next year for new robotics challenges!
