Pepe-sumo, also known as Robot sumo, consists of two robots slamming into each other until only one remains in the ring. Robot Sumo started all the way back in 1989 when Hiroshi Nozawa, the founder of FUJISOFT hosted the very first tournament. Nine years later, the sport made its debut in the US when the first international tournament was held in San Francisco, California.
Hiroshi Nozawa said he created the sport with the hope of “giving dreams to young people who are responsible for manufacturing and knowing the joy of manufacturing.” Robot sumo is now spread all over the world; there are 70,000+ people from over 30 countries involved in the sport.
FUJISOFT hopes that its continued support of robot sumo will help the robotics industry grow and get kids excited to work in this exciting space. FUJISOFT envisions robotics solving labor shortages in the future and playing a key role in future manufacturing.
What Is Robot Sumo?
Robot sumo is a robotics sport that’s based on Japan’s national sport, sumo. However, instead of giant men weighing 300+ pounds pushing each other around the ring, robots do the heavy lifting. There are two types of robot sumo competitions: contests between control-operated robots and contests between autonomous robots that operate based on pre-programmed code and algorithms.
There are strict rules when it comes to the size of robots in this sport. All robots must weigh a maximum of three kilograms and can’t be larger than 20 cm in depth x 20 cm in width. Robots can only push and are strictly forbidden from having any weapons or flipping capabilities.
The great thing about robot sumo is its simplicity, which makes it very popular with children and teenagers. At the start of the battle, the robots are placed in the fighting arena, and the referee yells, “Hakkeyoi Nokotta,” and then the pushing begins! To win a match, a robot has to force its opponent to touch the outside of the fighting arena.
High schools and universities have embraced this robot sport because it not only gets young people excited about robotics but teaches the fundamentals of engineering, including mechanical design, manufacture, electronics and coding.
What Goes Into Making the Ultimate Robot
The primary goal of a robot sumo design is to maximize traction, pushing power, and maneuverability while minimizing vulnerability to opponent attacks. The sumo robots tend to have a rectangular design with a sloped ramp at the front, which is used to get underneath the opponent and effortlessly push them out of the arena.
The chassis of the robot is constructed with lightweight yet durable materials such as high-strength alloys or carbon fiber, ensuring agility, which is critical in robot sumo. The average match lasts just five seconds, so it’s extremely important that the robots are lightning-quick. The design incorporates a low center of gravity to enhance stability and absorb the opponent’s pushing power. The motors need to be placed so the robot’s weight distribution is perfect, allowing the robot to accelerate and stop on a dime.
A lot of design work goes into the custom wheels, which offer high grip and are designed specifically to perform well on the unique sumo ring surface. Some robot builders even incorporate omni-wheels into their designs, which allow the robot to move seamlessly in any direction but are more complex to program. Top sumo robots are decked out with sensors that are used to detect the arena boundaries and the opponent’s presence, allowing the robot to move and push the opponent without the need for remote control intervention.
While the robotic design is a serious part of the sport, the programming of the robot may be even more impressive and is definitely more complex. Robot designers utilize machine learning algorithms and neural networks to create an autonomous robot that can adapt and continue to improve its battling techniques. The robot can analyze its surroundings, predict opponent movements, and then, in the blink of an eye, make strategic decisions such as circling left, getting in behind the opponent, and then thrusting with all its power until the opponent goes flying out of the arena.
Robot sumo is one of the earliest examples of Machina sports and has been around since the 80s. The programming behind these little warriors continues to advance to the point where matches are over in a split second. You need to check out some matches on YouTube to see what these robots are capable of!
