2015 Heart of Texas B.E.S.T.
Robotics Teacher Training
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics 2015, All Rights Reserved
Welcome to New Coaches and
Returning Alike…
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Today’s Agenda
Time
Topic
Where Does this fit into the Competition??
9:00 – 9:15 AM
Welcome, Introductions, Pass out Materials
Organizing / Connecting
9:15 – 9:30 AM
Who are we & What is BEST Robotics
Program / Institution Information
9:30 – 10:15 AM
Expectations & Logistics
10:15 – 10:30 AM
10:30 – 10:45 AM
What to Expect, The BEST Philosophy, Coaches / Mentors Roles, Building the
BEST Teams
Break
Paper Work…Forms You Need & Where to Find Them
10:45 – 11:45 AM
The 6 Weeks of HOT BEST, The “Game”, and Rules, Rules, Rules
Game / Rule Specifics, Game Timeline
11:45 – 12:30 PM
12:30 – 1:15 PM
Lunch
Lunch
The Five Major Scoring Categories of BEST Robotics
Scoring Areas, Judging Policies, Where to finds specifics & how to
use them
1:15 – 2:15 PM
Day 1: Kick Off & Kits
Game Specifics & Kit Information
2:15 – 3:00 PM
Day 2 to Day 21: Test Drive, Team Organization, & Teacher Wisdom
Team Organization, Timelines, & Resources
3:00 – 3:45 PM
Day 35: Mall Day & Pre-Competition / Competition
What is expected the last two weeks & What Competition Looks Like
3:45 – 4:00 PM
Final Comments
Q&A
Break
Coaches Must Haves
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Texas State Technical College &
B.E.S.T.
• College Readiness & Advancement Department
• 3 TSTC Hubs in the State:
• Heart of Texas B.E.S.T. (HOT B.E.S.T.) - Waco
• Rio Grande Valley B.E.S.T. (RGV B.E.S.T.) – Harlingen
• Big Country B.E.S.T. – Sweetwater
• HOT B.E.S.T.:
• Hub Director, Trey Pearson
• trey.pearson@tstc.edu
• 254-867-2015 (Office)
254-495-5335 (cell, call or text)
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Heart of Texas B.E.S.T.
• In existence since 2010…Total Recall
• This is our 6th Game & our 5th Year
• Heart of Texas B.E.S.T. Website
https://resources.tstc.edu/B.E.S.T./
• Heart of Texas B.E.S.T. Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/H.O.T.B.E.S.T.Robotics
• Heart of Texas B.E.S.T. Twitter
https://twitter.com/HOTB.E.S.T.Robotics
• B.E.S.T. National Website http://www.B.E.S.T.inc.org/
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Who Are We…
B.E.S.T. Robotics, Inc. (BRI)
• 49 Hubs in 14 States
• 4 Regional
Championships
875 Schools and 18,000+ students
participated in 2012
All Working…
• Same Game / Rules
• Same Kits
• Schedule
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B.E.S.T. =
Boosting Engineering, Science, &
Technology
Our Mission…
To INSPIRE & MOTIVATE students to pursue careers in
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math through a
sports like competition
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What to Expect, The BEST
Philosophy, Your Role as a
Coach / Mentor, Building the
BEST Team
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The B.E.S.T. Philosophy
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The students will get the most of the process if they do the
work
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Mentors and Teachers should help the students realize the
students’ ideas
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The six-week development process is more important than
the game-day competition
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B.E.S.T. does not stand for “Beat Every Single Team”
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
BEAT
EVERY
SINGLE
TEAM
The School Provides
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At least one school sponsor as a teacher-coach
Classroom/shop facilities
Transportation to the competition sites
A single student team representing the school
Outreach to potential team mentors (e.g., parents)
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H.O.T B.E.S.T. Provides
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A single “Kit” for each school
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A variety of software (easyC, ROBOTC, SolidWorks, MathWorks)
• Volunteers to coordinate and run all events
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The game field for all events
• Awards for student and team recognition
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The Coach’s Role
• Primarily team logistics
• Recruit students for the team
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get posters hung, flyers made
• Determine student eligibility for the program
• Have primary responsibility for the students
• Enforce school rules and code of conduct
• Recruit team mentors
• Schedule tool safety training
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The Coach’s Role
• Coordinate with other disciplines
• art, language, shop teachers, etc.
• Manage access to school facilities and equipment
• Manage transportation to and from events
• bus or other transportation, drivers
• Manage parent permission for student participation
• travel, handling power equipment, photo release, etc.
• Build student leadership
• Support student organization
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The Mentor’s Experience: Role
• Provide an understanding of engineering process
• Explain the importance of schedules and budgets
• Provide technical guidance
• Ensure students consider all phases & deliverables
• Guide student brainstorming sessions
• Discuss methods for evaluating design concepts
• Describe prototyping methods
• Pose questions to force team to think through ideas
• Encourage student participation
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The Mentor’s Experience:
How to Operate
•Encourage proper organization early
•Promote teamwork/ teaming concepts
•Ensure the team
•Identifies requirements/ set goals up front
•Sets realistic schedules
•Has on-time deliverables
•Teach the Engineering Design Process
•Teach design margin (weight, size)
•Promote new design/invention…steer away reuse
•Follow the rules, be an example
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The Mentor’s Experience:
How Much Time??
•Meeting times vary by team/school
•Most meet after school (at least)
•Commit to regular participation
•Put in the time that you can…anything helps
•You are providing guidance
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Building The B.E.S.T. Team
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Most successful teams are composed of mixed gradelevels and minimum 2 technical mentors
Teams operate B.E.S.T. from a single campus population
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• Design and build facilities are necessary
• Safety Training is ESSENTIAL
• Students learn B.E.S.T. when they are responsible for ALL
•
activities
Mentors and Teachers are primarily for basic guidance
and consultation
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Student Eligibility
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School determines student eligibility
Teams are unlimited on size*
Encourage teams with mixed grade-levels
Encourage students with varying skill sets/experience
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Engineering/ tech
Science
Math
Shop
Computer
Web
Arts
Writing/Language
Spirit
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Not the Coach’s Role…AKA The
Students Role
• Students Learn the Most By Doing It
• Guide the Students, Don’t Direct the Team
• Make Them Work, Don’t Give Them Answers
• Students are Responsible for
• What They Do
• What They Don’t Do
• Students Determine Meeting Times
• Students organize/run meetings (with encouragement/guidance)
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Paper Work, Paper
Work, Paper Work…
Must Have Forms, Where to Get Them, &
What to Do With Them
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Must Have Forms
• Kit Inventory & Kit Agreements:
Due before leaving with kits on
Kick Off Day
• B.E.S.T. Consent & Release From
Liability…For all participants
including coaches and mentors
• Team Roster: Can be added to
and changed, but Hub must have
one on file by Test Drive
• Team Program Info Sheet:
Needed for Comp. Day Program
in correct format.
• Team Demographics Form: Not
only required, but you’ll lose
easy points on the engineering
notebook score if missing
• Driver / Spotter Roster: Official
order of your teams drivers.
Must be submitted at time of
Marketing Presentation.
(See Deliverable Schedule for Date)
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Where to Get Forms
• All required forms will be included (as blanks for
copying purposes) in the 2015 Kick off Coaches
Manual
• You’ll receive these on Kick off Day
• You can also find them under the “Coaches” folder under the
2015 Competition Tab on the Heart of Texas B.E.S.T. Robotics
Website
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What To Do With These: See
“Deliverables Schedule”
• Kit Inventory & Kit Agreement
• Sign & Return Before Leaving KO (September 5th 2015)
• Consent & Liability Forms (See Deliverables Schedule)
• Collect and submit in person or via email as they come in
• Team Roster
• Submit by Test Drive (September 26th 2015) & email any updates as they come in
• Demographic Form
• Must be in Engineering Notebook & Submitted at time of Marketing Presentation
• Team Program Info Sheet (See Deliverables Schedule)
• Due by Monday September 21st 2015
• Driver / Spotter Roster
• Due at time of Marketing Presentation
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Break Time
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The Six Weeks of H.O.T. B.E.S.T.
• Day 1: Kick Off
• Game / Rules & Field
Unveiling
• All Materials Released to
Teams…Kits, Documents, 2015
Updates & Changes
• Day 21: Test Drive
• 1st Opportunity for teams to
get on competition field
• Let the games begin!!!!
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The Six Weeks of H.O.T. B.E.S.T.
• Day 35: Mall Day
• Dress Rehearsal for
Competition
• Teams have a chance to heats
and see how their robot is
scoring
• Outreach to public
• Day 42: Competition Day
• The Big Day!!!!
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The Game
2014 & 2015
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How it Works: Design to Market
Challenging Students with a REAL Design Task
a problem to solve
“the game”
Design To Function
with limited resources
In a limited time
“the kit”
“6 weeks”
Design To Cost
Time To Market
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Product Development
B.E.S.T. emulates real product development
Design & construction
Designing & building the robot
Engineering process
Technical documentation
Engineering Design Notebook
Documenting the design process
Table display / exhibit booth
Promotion of B.E.S.T. within the community
Team website
Public Relations
Product Marketing
Marketing presentations to judges
Informal interviews by judges
Teaming
Team organization/operation
Company/Product Advocate
Team Spirit/ Sportsmanship
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Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Spirit &
Sportsmanship:
10 % Of B.E.S.T.
Award
Robot Performance:
15 % Of B.E.S.T.
Award
Exhibit & Interview:
20 % Of B.E.S.T.
Award
Marketing
Presentation:
25 % Of B.E.S.T.
Award
Engineering
Notebook:
30 % Of B.E.S.T.
Award
The Competition
B.E.S.T. Award:
Overall Scoring
Category
The Rules
Read…Before You Ask
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
So What’s in the Rules???
• Robot Head-to-Head Competition
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Game Specific Rules + Field Drawings
Generic Rules
Kit Notes
Returnable Kit List
Consumables Kit List
Online Q&A
• Awards and Judging Policies
• General & Hub Specific Policy Documents
• Scoresheets/Rubrics
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Game Specific Rules + Field
Drawings
• Game Theme
• Useful in research paper
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Game Objective
Rules for playing the game
Point values and scoring
Tournament format
• Seeding Rounds (typically 8 matches per team)
• Semifinals (6 total matches)
• Finals (3 total matches)
• Drawings of the game field
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Generic Rules
• Safety rules
• Interaction with field & other
robots
• Tools allowed in pits, safety
glasses, etc.
• Match setup/ robot removal (30
• Robot materials & construction sec)
constraints
• Drivers & spotters requirements
• Kit do’s and don’ts, acceptable
• Min 50% of team or 5 drivers
energy sources, replacement of
(rotate per match)
parts, non-functional decorations,
no welding, etc.
• General penalties
• Robot size/weight constraints
• 24lbs, 24” on a side
• Robot compliance checking
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Let’s Take a Look at 2014
2015 Pay Dirt Teaser Video
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The Five Major Scoring
Categories
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Awards & Judging Policies
• Awards and Judging Policies – Part I
• Lists major awards and criteria
• Evaluation criteria for all B.E.S.T. award categories
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Project Engineering Notebook
Marketing Presentation
Table Display and Interviews
Spirit and Sportsmanship
Robot Performance
• Awards and Judging Policies – Part II
• Hub specific requirements
• When/where/how
• Additional hub awards & criteria
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B.E.S.T. Award Score Sheets
• Defines the EXACT criteria for each category and relative
weight
• This is WHAT YOUR TEAM IS JUDGED ON!
• Don’t ignore these requirements or you will not place high!
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Project Engineering Notebook
• Documents your engineering design process
• This is NOT a photo album…
• Use photos and diagrams efficiently
• Check your gramr and speling
• Don’t write it the night before it’s due
• Requires participation from the design team
• This is the most influential category in the HOT B.E.S.T. Comp.
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Exhibit & Interview
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Table display does not document the robot design!
Promotion of B.E.S.T. in the community
Foster B.E.S.T. spirit, camaraderie, & participation
Evidence of sportsmanship
• You can’t display what you haven’t done…
• Table displays/booths are often themed
• Judges perform informal interviews with students at the table
display and in the pits
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Marketing Presentation
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15 minute PowerPoint presentation
Minimum 4 students participate, no adults
Present to a panel of judges
Should cover:
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Company demographics
Marketing strategies employed
Design and construction processes
Technological resources & invention
Presentation times are assigned by the hub
Don’t be late, don’t go over your time
Practice, practice, practice
See Awards & Judging Policy Doc. For Set Up / Breakdown
Times
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Spirit & Sportsmanship
• Pretty self-explanatory
• Signs, posters, trinkets, hand-outs
• Bands, cheerleaders, mascots
• Dress the part
• Sorry…no throwing objects into the stands
• Spirit Break! 2 minutes of fun…
• Visible positive attitudes regardless of performance
• Support for others
• Graceful winning and losing
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There is NO Substitute for Enthusiasm
& Excitement…The Judges Notice
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Lunch
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Day 1…Kick Off
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What Happens at Kickoff
Saturday September 5th 2015 @ TSTC (10:00 – 12:00)
• Sign-in & Team Packet Pickup
• Official Opening of 2015 H.O.T. B.E.S.T. Competition
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Welcome by TSTC Administrator
Introduction of Hub Volunteers / Personnel
Team Roll Call (Be Prepared to Make some Noise!!!!)
• 2015 Game Unveil
• Introduction of 2015 Game
• Field Unveil
• Q & A about game and field…NO ONE ALLOWED ON FIELD AT THIS TIME
• Kit Distribution
• Returnable & Consumable Kits distributed to teams
• Teams Inventory & Coaches Sign Inventory / Agreement Forms & Return to Hub
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Who / What to Bring
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Enthusiasm & excitement (we give awards for it!)
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Plenty of students…Kick off is for them & The More Eyes the Better
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One large vehicle to receive the kit, and several able bodies to carry it (the
parts…NOT the vehicle)
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2x4 foot plywood
5 foot PVC
Be sure to inventory the kit before you leave the pick-up site….checklists
will be provided
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Documents, Documents, Documents
• There are LOTS of documents to be reviewed
• This is JOB #1…starting at Kickoff (or even now if you
review rules from last year)
• Assign one or more students to be Rules Expert
• B.E.S.T. is about product development process
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The team is judged on their process
Team organization is KEY to success
Document everything as you go
Emphasize planning before execution
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Kits…Take a Deep
Breath
Let’s Take a Look at Them
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The Returnable Kit
• All the Items that make the
robot “go”
• These are expected back at
the end of the competition
(See Deliverables Schedule)
• Do’s & Dont’s…Read
Generic Rules & Returnable
Kit Guide
• Diagrams to help students
in kit documents
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The Consumable Kit
• Raw Materials
• Plywood, Plastics, Metal, PVC
• Hardware
• Specific quantities of materials
• Use no more than quantity available in kit to build the
robot
• Your robot must be built from ONLY these materials
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The Consumable Kit
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Day 1 to 21
Test Drive
Saturday September 26th 2015 @
McLennan Community College Sciences Building
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It’s All About Organizing
The more done during this time, the better.
Famous Last Words = “We’ve got plenty of time for that, we’ll
get to it later…”
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Organizing the Team
• Educate your students on teams/teaming
• Organize, set responsibilities and goals
• Project Management
• Maintain/enforce team goals, schedules, deliverables, etc.
• Design Team
• Function A Sub-Team
• Function B Sub-Team
• Software/Programming Team
• Build Team
• Kit management
• Construction of components
• Test Team
• Verification & testing by 3rd party
• Data analysis, proof of concepts
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Organizing the Team (2)
• Marketing/Publicity Team
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Marketing presentation
Graphic arts
Costumes/Themes/Decoration
Radio/TV/newspaper
• Community Relations/Awareness Team
• Outreach to the community; events & activities
• Table display/Exhibit booth design & construction
• Team webpage design
• Finance/Fundraising Team
• For incidentals, table display, travel, team t-shirts, etc.
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Organizing the Team (3)
• Spirit & Sportsmanship Team
• Plan for events
• Recruitment, invitations
• Helping other teams
• Documentation Team
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Engineering Design Notebook
Technical writing
Photography
Videography
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
B.E.S.T. Teacher Wisdom
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Don’t do it all yourself…
Can’t is not in the vocabulary of visionaries
Take a camera everywhere you go
Don’t paint the robot or booth the night before
Last minute changes won’t fix missed driving practice
Good judgment comes from experience, which comes from bad
judgment
• A chassis on the ground is worth 2 on the chalkboard, and 10 on
CAD
• Every team member is capable of making a unique contribution
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B.E.S.T. Teacher Wisdom
• Compromise is required
• Part of good teaming is learning how to disagree
• Don’t underestimate the power of cardboard, straws, paper
clips, rubber bands, and some glue…
• The greatest design in 6 weeks is of no use without
someone that can drive it
• B.E.S.T. teachers help each other
• If all else fails, you can call Trey (and he’ll probably come to
your school if needed)
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Test Drive – Practice Day
• End of Week 3
• Mandatory Practice Day
•
The whole team is not required, but attendance by one coach
and at least one student is…plan ahead
• Open format (no scheduled practice times)
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Test Drive – Practice Day
• Reasons to take advantage of Test Drive:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Turn in Deliverables…Being late can affect judging
Practice on the “real” playing field…
See other designs…get help…
Realize how far behind you are…
• Goals for Test Drive:
1. A machine with a drive system….practice driving…
2. Try alternate manipulator concepts…
3. Get help…Help others…
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Day 22 to 35
Mall Day
Saturday October 10th 2015
Richland Mall, Waco, TX
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Mall Day – Practice Day
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End of Week 5…This is the
“DRESS REHEARSAL”
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Required Practice Day
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Deliverables may be due!
You must attend…
Typically in a public venue
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Opportunity for community awareness
Open practice – Get in line
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Mall Day – Practice Day
• This is your LAST chance to practice on the field…
• Mall Day is MANDATORY…
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Turn in Deliverables (See “Deliverables Schedule”)
Practice on the “real” playing field…With actual game day
software scoring
Practice Driving
Practice Strategy
Practice Driver/Spotter Communication
Practice Against Other Machines
Identify/Make Last Minute Adjustments
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Day 36 to 42:
Competition Week
Thursday & Friday October 15th & 16th 2015 @ TSTC Waco
(Marketing Presentations, Notebook Submission, Compliance)
Game Day: Saturday October 17th 2015
University High School, Waco, TX
Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved
Pre-Competition: Thursday & Friday
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Marketing Presentations
Engineering Notebook Judging
Turn in T-shirt for Judging
Machine Compliance
Entire team does not have to attend.
• Teams Can Start Signing up for Times @ Kick Off & Test
Drive…See Deliverables Schedule
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Pre-Competition: Thursday & Friday
• Turn in remaining deliverables (e.g., notebooks)
• Machine is tested for compliance
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Size/Weight
Kit parts & quantities
Illegal construction methods (e.g., welding, glued motors, …)
• Students must attend
• We prefer no adults during compliance check
• Must achieve compliance to participate on Game Day
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Competition Day: Saturday October 17
th
2015 @
University High School
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This is it! The BIG DANCE!
Full day of activity (8am – 6pm)
Full throttle: Head-to-Head matches every 6 minutes
Table Displays Judged
Spirit & Sportsmanship Judged
Student Informal Interviews
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Copyright B.E.S.T. Robotics2015 All Rights Reserved