Vex Robots

Every year, in addition to the Robotics Challenge, FIRST offers a Tech Challenge, which is a less-expensive competition to build smaller robots. It is therefore a great way for younger students to become involved, or for teams to be introduced to FIRST. More information on the competition can be found here.

This year, our robotics team used the VEX competition parts to make robots for the game, Quad Quandary. The goal of the game was to lift rings onto posts, place them on platforms, and push them into areas painted onto the field. Additional points could be accrued by pushing the posts, which were on casters, into one's region of the field. Two robots formed an alliance, and two alliance battled during each match.

Our 32 students broke into 8 groups of 4 students, each of which received a kit of parts, out of which the robot had to be made. Each group then designed their own robot, built it, added motors and sensors, and finally programmed the robot. We had an in-house competition between the 8 teams, but decided not to attend any official events.

The FIRST Tech Challenge was a great way for our Robotics team to be introduced to the different aspects that go into bringing a robotics project to completion. It also gave each student experience in each of the steps, from conceptual mechanical design to driving and competing with the final product.