How to Start a New Robofest Team

How to Start a New Robofest Team p Starting a Robofest Team is much easier compared to other robotics competitions n n n Robofest is affordable, only $40 to register a team Team size is small 2 – 7 students Team can be formed by any type of organization, club, home school, public or private school, etc. You can re-use robots and playing field materials Focused on kids learning the technologies – you don’t need to spend time on research presentations Robofest provides teams and coaches with systematic support & teaching resources

Getting Started: Visit www. robofest. net for more information and to sign up for our electronic mailing list p Register as a coach to receive important e-mail information and updates on 2007 Season p There is no cost to register as a Coach, you can register on-line at www. robofest. net Who can be a coach? n n Robofest requires the coach to be an adult School teacher or administrator Parent Mentor

Can I be a Coach, if I don’t Know Anything about Robotics? Yes, you can p Your role is to then find a technical mentor(s) to work with your team p You can be in charge of other team administrative responsibilities p You will learn robotics together with your team members. A great way to learn! p

How To Start a Team if You are a School Teacher or Administrator p p p Find parent volunteers who are interested in helping the team as technical mentors (very important). Volunteers do not need experience in robotics, just an interest in or general engineering/technical knowledge After registering as a coach, in January you can register your team on the Robofest web site Put together a playing field if your team is going to participate in the Game or Robo. Sumo Competition Ask students to attend free workshops at LTU (or watch web casts or recorded web casts) Assign some of the team work as (group) homework Integrate as an after-school program

To Start a Team if You are a Parent (School is Not Interested in…) p p p Find other parents who are interested in forming a student team and parents who could give technical help to your team (very important) After you have registered as a coach, starting in January you can register your team on the Robofest web site Put together a playing field if your team is going to participate in the Game or Robo. Sumo Competition Ask your students to attend free workshops at LTU (or watch webcasts or recorded webcasts) Assign some of the team work as (group) homework Integration in a home

How to Select a Robot Kit p p p Robofest allows any type of robot kit or programming software If you starting a new team, check to see if there are robot kits currently available at your school or if one of your students has a robot kit at home. If no robot is available to you, we recommend the following: n n If you are an expert of a specific robot kit or you have someone as technical mentor who is an expert of a specific type of robot kit, then use that kit If you are a robotics novice and there is no technical mentor around you -- selecting a LEGO robot kit would be a safe choice. LEGO robots are easy to learn and teach.

How Much Does is Cost to Participate in Robofest? Team Registration Fee: only $40, + possible qualifying site fee of $20 p Robot kits (Lego NXT) run $250. 00 per kit. p If you need to purchase kits, we can provide you with information on options & resources. Most kits can be ordered on-line, depending on the number of kits you need. You may use any type of robot kit/platform, materials, tape, glue, and any type of software. p

How Much Does is Cost to Participate in Robofest? continued… Game Competition: Each Game Team needs two robots; playing field materials are $75. 00 for one field. If you have a field from a past season you can re-use it , you don’t need to buy a new field each year. p Robo. Sumo Competition (new division for ‘ 07): One robot required, Playing Field is $40. 50 p Exhibition Competition: Teams can use as many robots as they would like, a minimum of one robot is required. p

“I registered a team and I want to learn robotics myself. Is it too late to learn? ” No, now is the perfect time for you to learn! The Lego NXT box says, it is “for ages 10 and up. ” Yes, it is time and you can do it. p Best way to begin to learn p n n Use the multimedia tutorial on the software CD provided in your kit to learn programming basics Build a simple robot and program it to do a few things such as stopping, starting, turning, use the touch sensor, light sensor, etc. -- There is nothing better than hands-on learning!

Best Way to Learn Continued…. . n n n Search the web for resources, including the Robofest site, to get more techniques and ideas that you can use with your students Network with other coaches, mentors, and teams through on-line forums Attend LTU programming workshops with your students. A full schedule of workshops for registered Robofest teams will be published in January

It is Never to Late to Learn…. . Here is the good news – A self taught team will often outperform a spoon-fed team. p Robotics education provides for engaging, hands -on application oriented learning p The kids are the main focus of this learning experience. You however, will learn along with them, and the kids may even teach you a thing or two! p There is a learning curve. Your team may not do well the first year, but your team will do better the second year p

What Will My Students Gain From Being a Part of Robofest? Robofest sparks student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics p Robofest encourages team work & helps students develop critical thinking skills p Robofest participation increases students’ math and science knowledge/scores p Encourages students to pursue careers in engineering & science related fields p Robofest will recognize your students achievement with medals and personalized certificates of achievement p

Robofest 2007 Season Timeline p p p Coaches Can Register On-line Now December ’ 06 - Competition Rules, Game Rules, and Robo. Sumo Rules will be announced January ’ 07 – Coaches can register Teams & Select Robofest Competition Location March & April ’ 07 – Qualifying Competitions, top teams from each site qualify to move on to compete at Worlds April 27, ’ 07 (evening) - Robo. Sumo Qualifying Competition Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, USA April 28, ’ 07 World Robofest 2007 Championship, LTU Campus, Southfield, MI, USA

Robofest Questions, Contact Us: p Visit ww. robofest. net p Lori Birman, Robofest Program Coordinator, lbirman@ltu. edu, Phone: 248 -204 -3566 p Contact Dr. CJ Chung, Robofest Director, chung@ltu. edu, Phone: 248 -204 -3504