ESP32 microcontroller with WiFi and Bluetooth capability allowed?

RoboCupJunior Rescue RoboCupJunior Rescue Maze
#1

Hello,

my team would like to use the following ESP32 microcontroller: http://anleitung.joy-it.net/?goods=nodemcu-esp32

It is capable of Wifi and Bluetooth which have to be proven disabled for each run.
Since these functionalities are integrated into the chip we can’t disable them on the hardware side. We are concerned a local referee might not allow this chip since he can’t ensure we won’t use these functionalities in the code.

As to this we would like to now whether we are allowed to use the micocontroller in general and in that case how we might be able to prove that we aren’t using Bluetooth or WiFi in the runs, more specifically what we are expected to do.

A more general question we have additionally is whether answers in the forum are obligatory for local referees. We want to make sure that answers are definitive.

#2

Hi JorhuaMueller,
You could prove in the program that wifi is not working.
Do you prove by submitting(or output) the source code?
Can you prove that the program loaded on the robot is exactly the same as the output program?
Without affecting the competition schedule …
Please reply.

During your reply, I’ll discuss with other TCs.
Please wait a few.

Naomi
2019 TC Chair

#3

I’l pretty sure you can use ESP32, since there are teams using raspberry pi wich also has WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, but aren’t used.
I’m also using ESP32 for my main board this year.

#4

Hi Naomi,
prior to the competition we definitely can submit the code to be reviewed. One could maybe use Ctrl+F to look for WiFi and Bluetooth.
I’m not sure how we could prove the loaded program is the reviewed program.
But during the competition, we will very likely change things to optimize the code.
I can’t think of a way to prove we haven’t added wireless functionalities to give the robot information about the maze without affecting the competition schedule.

#5

to Onireves1 - As for RPI, you can easily view from the configuration whether you disable Wi-fi and bluetooth - sudo raspi-config. Joshua, one of four WiFi modes available in NodeMCU is “off” . According to its documentation, it seems to have a WiFiManager. Wonder if you may have tried that to see if you may disable it…

In general, team “must” prove wi-fi is disabled. Thus, if there is absolutely no way you can disable it. I am afraid that this won’t be allowed. I’ll have to further discuss this with the TC. Not sire if we should mandate a network scanning to target any traffic from the your NIC connection. However, first step, please see if you may disable it via the WiFiManager.

#6

@elizabeth.mabrey
I’ve found a detailed blogpost on completely disabling the WiFi radio:
https://www.bakke.online/index.php/2017/05/21/reducing-wifi-power-consumption-on-esp8266-part-2/
which uses the command you mentioned:

Wifi.mode(WIFI_OFF);

The main effort of this article is to keep power consumption low. Is this piece of code a sufficient proof?
I’m worried that code must be reviewed each time my team changes something.

Not to mention the bluetooth problem.

#7

The use of the ESP32 is well discussed at least for the soccer game.
We asked the same question last year at soccer and the ESP32 is allowed.
You can also use the onboard Bluetooth, as long as you keep your power within the bluetooth class 2or 3,
which is NOT to be confused with the protocol (Bluetooth 4.0)

#8

Hi JoshuaMueller, nad all,

I wanto to clarify that RoboCupJunior is not allowed to use Wifi.
You can use ESP32 if you turn off Wifi in a way that @elizabeth.mabrey advised.

So I’ll suggest to organizers,
Interviewers and Judge encourage the team to ask that the robot is not using Wifi.

Best,
Naomi
2019 TC

#9

First of all, thanks to everyone joining this discussion.

1 - The problem: I want to use one mBot + esp32 board communicating each other via Bluetooth: I understand that this solution is NOT allowed. Right?

2 - Robot Communication - General rules
“Robots are not allowed to use any kind of communication during gameplay unless the communication between two robots is via Bluetooth class 2 or class 3 (range shorter than 20 meters) or via ZigBee. Teams are responsible for their communication. The availability of frequencies cannot be guaranteed.”

They talk about TWO robots, so I deduce WiFi and/or Bluetooth are NOT allowed during a maze game (not SuperTeam). Right?

Thank you in advance, domo arigato :wink: