TSA VEX Robotics Competition (VRC)

Transcription

1 TSA VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) OVERVIEW The VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) and the VEX IQ Challenge (VEX IQ), presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (REC), are the largest and fastest growing high school and middle school robotics programs globally, with more than 10,000 teams from 32 countries playing in over 750 tournaments worldwide during the season. Each year, an exciting engineering challenge is presented in the form of a game. TSA VEX teams - with guidance from their teachers and mentors - build innovative robots and may compete year-round in a variety of matches, including state and national TSA VEX competitions. CHALLENGE Participants design and build a robot using the engineering design process that will best address the challenge of the designated VEX game design for the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC). In the TSA VEX Robotics Competition (TSA VRC), teams compete head-to-head, one robot versus one robot; there are no team alliances. The robot should be structurally efficient, capable of scoring in both robot and programming modes of operation, and demonstrate real-time competition in head-to-head elimination tournament matches The VRC game is Skyrise 2016 The game will be announced at the VEX Robotics World Championship, April 15 18, ELIGIBILITY In addition to annual TSA affiliation, TSA VEX teams must be registered on in order to compete at TSA VEX events. Participants are limited to two (2) teams per chapter, with a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of six (6) participants per team. Both middle school and high school teams may compete in the VRC event; there is no separate VRC division for middle school teams. TIME LIMITS ATTIRE A. Entries must be started and completed during the current school year. Competition attire, as described in National TSA Dress Code ( is required for this event. PROCEDURE A. TSA event registration: TSA state advisors approve of and submit teams for the national TSA VEX Championship event based on advancement guidelines. Additional teams may be waitlisted by notifying TSA. B. RobotEvents.com registration: The REC Foundation verifies teams submitted by TSA state advisors and adds teams to the national TSA event listed on C. Check-in: Participants check in their entries (robots) at the time and place stated in the TSA conference program. D. Inspection: Robots are inspected using official VRC inspection sheets. Students are present for the robot inspection. Robots must pass inspection in order to be eligible for competition. Repairs and adjustments may be made, as required, in order for robots to pass inspection. Inspection must be completed within the designated timeframe and before a team competes in any component of the competition. Re-inspection of a robot may be ordered at any time throughout

2 the competition by a referee to verify that a robot meets inspection requirements. E. Skills Challenge: Including both Robot Skills and Programming Skills, this part of the competition determines the team rank for advancement to the Head-to-Head Tournament. Each team should complete at least one, but no more than three, of each skills challenge. The best score from each skills challenge will be used to rank teams. The combined skills ranking will be posted, in order, by rank. F. Design Award: All teams are eligible to interview for the Design Award. A minimum of two (2) representatives from each team will report to the interview event area at the time and place stated in the conference program. Teams are given the opportunity to sign up for available interview time slots. Teams must bring their engineering notebook to the interview and be prepared to respond to questions, as well as explain their iterative design process to judges. Team conduct throughout the event is a factor in the Design Award. G. Head-to-Head Tournament: Teams will be matched according to their combined rank from the skills challenges and assigned slots in the head-to head tournament, which is an elimination tournament. A combination of single and double elimination matches may be held in order to determine a tournament champion. H. Excellence Award: Judges review the results from the Robot Skills Challenge, Programming Skills Challenge, Head-to-Head Tournament, and Design Award to determine the best overall VEX Robotics team. Team conduct throughout the event is a factor in the Excellence Award. REGULATIONS A. Teams must be affiliated with TSA and with the REC Foundation at B. Teams must be approved by their TSA state advisor and the REC Foundation to advance to the national level event. C. Team members must wear TSA Competition Attire. D. Robots must pass official VEX Robotics Competition inspection before competing. E. Safety glasses are required during skills challenges and the Head-to-Head tournament for VRC. F. Notebooks are returned to student teams at the end of the Design Award interviews. G. The entry (the robot and notebook) must be the sole work of the members of a team. At TSA VRC events, students showcase their knowledge and skills in designing, building, repairing, and programming a robot, and in documenting their learning in an engineering notebook. H. The engineering notebook is a requirement to be considered for both the Design Award and Excellence Award. I. Referee rulings are final. Teams are responsible for confirming scored matches before a field is reset. Only team drivers may share their questions or concerns with a referee. Recordings on phones or other electronic devices will not be reviewed to challenge a score. J. Students are expected to showcase good sportsmanship and conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. EVALUATION Four evaluation components contribute to the determination of the Excellence Award. Robot Skills Challenge a one minute (60 seconds) challenge in which a team operates its robot in the competition field using driver skills and controller(s), with the opportunity to score as many points as possible unopposed by any other robot. Each team has up to three attempts. The highest score is used to determine ranking. Programming Skills Challenge a one minute (60 seconds) challenge where a team operates its robot in autonomous mode in the competition field using programming skills, with the opportunity to score as many points as possible unopposed by any other robot. Each team has up to three attempts. The highest score is used to determine ranking. Head-to-Head Tournament Teams compete head-to-head, one robot versus one robot; there are no alliances. Single elimination matches involve one match, with the winning team advancing to the next

3 round and the losing team eliminated from tournament play. Double elimination matches are the best of three matches. The first team to win two matches advances to the next round. The first team to lose two matches is eliminated from tournament play. Elimination matches continue until a tournament champion is determined. Design Award Teams interview and present their engineering notebook to judges for evaluation. Team sportsmanship and conduct throughout the event are factors for this award. Excellence Award This award goes to the top robotics team once all competition and judged award criteria are evaluated. Team sportsmanship and conduct throughout the event are factors for this award.

4 STEM INTEGRATION The TSA VEX Robotics Competition provides students with a hands-on, co-curricular competition for learning about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and complements the existing technology-related competitions offered by the Technology Student Association (TSA). LEADERSHIP SKILLS In addition to learning valuable engineering skills, students gain life skills such areas as teamwork, perseverance, communication, collaboration, project management, and critical thinking. The VEX Robotics Competition prepares students to become future innovators. Leadership skills promoted in this event: Creative Thinking Ethics Evaluation Communication Organization Teamwork CAREERS RELATED TO THIS EVENT Mechanical Engineer/Technician Electrical Engineer/Technician Robotics Engineer/Technician FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT To register a VRC Team go to To find out more about the VRC game, Skyrise, go to:

5 TSA VEX COORDINATOR INSTRUCTIONS PERSONNEL Assuming there is one division, possible combined middle and high school teams, four competition fields, and two practice fields: A. TSA VEX event coordinator (1) B. Volunteer coordinator (1) C. Event set-up coordinator (1) a. Event set-up volunteers (8) D. Field technician (1) E. Division manager (1) a. Tournament manager scorekeeper and timekeeper (2) b. Head referee (1) c. Referees (4) d. Referee scorekeepers (4) e. Queue manager (2) f. Queue assistants (4) g. Field reset volunteers (12) F. Judge coordinator (1) a. Judge assistant for queuing and awards (1) b. Judges (6) MATERIALS A. Competition fields a. VRC competition fields and game elements (4) b. VRC practice fields and game elements (2) c. VRC game elements (1) d. Chairs for field reset volunteers (3 per field) e. Chairs for referees (2 per field) B. Tournament manager stations (2) a. Laptops (1) b. Printers (1) c. Power strip (2) d. Extension cord (1) e. Field display (2) f. TV displays (pit and audience) (1 each) g. Tables (4) h. Chairs (2) C. Audio system (1) a. Tables (2) b. Power strips (2) c. Extension cord (1) D. Team check-in station (1) a. Team list report b. Pens/highlighters c. Team welcome envelopes i. Agenda ii. Pit map iii. Coach and driver badges/buttons iv. Inspection sheet

6 v. Driver meeting notes vi. Participation certificate vii. Give-aways d. Clipboard e. Tables (2) f. Chairs (2) E. Volunteer check-in station (1) a. Laptop b. Printer c. Power strip d. Extension cord e. Volunteer time sheet report f. Volunteer staffing report g. Volunteer welcome envelopes i. Assignment schedule ii. Volunteer badge iii. Community service certificate iv. Meal tickets v. Other give-aways h. Pens/highlighters i. Tables (2) j. Chairs (2) k. First aid kit l. Spare safety glasses F. Inspection a. Tables (4) b. Inspection forms c. Sizing tool d. Inspection guidelines e. Clipboards (4) f. Pens/highlighters g. Team registration list h. Pit map i. Event agenda G. Judges station a. Interview sign-up report b. Top ranked team list c. Clipboard d. Pens/highlighters e. Timer H. Field technician station a. Table b. Chair c. Power strip d. Extension cord e. Pens/highlighters I. Coordinator s notebook, containing: a. Event guidelines, one (1) copy each for the coordinator and evaluators b. Official rating forms, one (1) set for each event evaluator c. List of entries with finalist report d. List of judges and volunteers e. Pens for evaluators f. Notepads for evaluators g. Calculators, one (1) for each event evaluator h. Semifinalist list for posting i. Results envelope

7 RESPONSIBILITIES A. Upon arrival at the conference, the event coordinator reports to the location of the VEX events to check the contents of the coordinator s notebook, review the event guidelines, and ensure that enough volunteers and judges have been scheduled. B. Inspect the area(s) in which the event is being held for appropriate set-up, including room size, chairs, tables, outlets, etc. C. Check in the robots at the time and place stated in the TSA conference program. Anyone reporting who is not on the entry list may check in only after conference registration is confirmed, and on a first come, first served basis. Requirements for attire do not apply during check-in or inspection. D. Secure the entries in the designated area. E. At least one (1) hour before the evaluation of the entries is to begin, meet with evaluators and check-in personnel to review time limits, procedures, and regulations. F. Judges evaluate teams using an established interview format and rubric. Each team must be evaluated by at least two judges. G. For participants who violate the rules (attire, sportsmanship), the decision either to deduct twenty percent (20%) of the total possible points or disqualify the entry must be discussed and verified with the evaluators and the event coordinator. H. The scores for each skills challenge are ranked, based on the highest score from three possible attempts. The rankings for robot skills and programming skills are then added together to determine a combined skills rank. Tiebreakers default to programming skills and individual programming skills scores. All teams are ranked to determine pairings for the Head-to-Head Tournament. The complete list of teams is posted in rank order. I. All teams report to the event area at the time and place stated in the conference program. Each team signs up for a time to interview and present its notebook. During the interview, team members will explain their work and answer any questions the evaluators may ask. J. Evaluators score and rank teams based on the results of the interview and a review of the engineering notebook. This final score determines the finalists and their ranking. Evaluators discuss and break any ties. K. Complete and submit the finalist report and all related forms in the results envelope to the CRC room. Update the awards script and the PowerPoint for the TSA Awards Ceremony. L. Notebooks should be returned to teams at the conclusion of the judging. M. If necessary, manage security and the removal of equipment and materials from the area.