Game Overview
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Because 2016 is an election year, the theme of the public demonstration was a game based on congressional voting and bill passing. During the game, two teams (blue and red) of three players with three controllers fought for control of four hovercrafts in order to push ping pong balls into their team's goal. Following the political theme, each controller was known as a PAC (Political Artillery Controller), each hovercraft was known as a LOBBYIST (Loyal Only By BriberY Influence Spreading Technology), and each ping pong ball was known as a member of CONGRESS (Congregation of Non-committal Gentry Reliant on External Stimulation Spending). When a member of CONGRESS walked through the red or blue team's revolving door, it signified voting for that team's idea. Each hovercraft was only allowed to remain paired with any given controller for 45 seconds before it would unpair, and it would need to be controlled by a different controller before it would respond to the first controller again. At the end of 218 seconds, the team that had caused the most members of CONGRESS to pass through its revolving door won.
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Project Specifications
According to the project description, each team was required to build a hovercraft and a controller that could communicate wirelessly with each other using XBee radios via the class-wide communications protocol. The protocol ensured that all of the hovercrafts and controllers made by the class would be interoperable.
LOBBYIST (Hovercraft)
Teams were required to build hovercrafts that would hover across the field on battery power using a lift fan provided by course staff. Each hovercraft had to carry a DMC (Display of Memory and Commitment) which showed whether the hovercraft was paired with a controller, which team it was currently on (red/blue), and how much time there was left for the current pairing session. Additionally, the hovercraft had to fit within a 72" perimeter. It also had to carry a credential badge showing which LOBBYIST number (1-4) it currently represented.
PAC (Controller)
Teams also had to build controllers with an interesting interface for the operator. The design of these controllers required indication of current pairing status, the ability to choose which hovercraft to pair with (out of the 4 options), and the ability to choose which team to be on. The controllers had to operate on battery power and be able to last for at least 8 hours without charging. Also, these controllers were required to have at least three input sensing modalities. Finally, teams were encouraged to make the operator look and feel foolish while using the controller.
LOBBYIST (Hovercraft)
Teams were required to build hovercrafts that would hover across the field on battery power using a lift fan provided by course staff. Each hovercraft had to carry a DMC (Display of Memory and Commitment) which showed whether the hovercraft was paired with a controller, which team it was currently on (red/blue), and how much time there was left for the current pairing session. Additionally, the hovercraft had to fit within a 72" perimeter. It also had to carry a credential badge showing which LOBBYIST number (1-4) it currently represented.
PAC (Controller)
Teams also had to build controllers with an interesting interface for the operator. The design of these controllers required indication of current pairing status, the ability to choose which hovercraft to pair with (out of the 4 options), and the ability to choose which team to be on. The controllers had to operate on battery power and be able to last for at least 8 hours without charging. Also, these controllers were required to have at least three input sensing modalities. Finally, teams were encouraged to make the operator look and feel foolish while using the controller.
