How to build a prize-winning robot for BEST robotics competition?

Competitions are great opportunities for individuals and teams to better their skills and pick up new skills. They provide the contestants with chances to test their strengths and explore their weaknesses. In fact, competitions are fun ways to see how good or bad you are. As a result, all competitions give individuals a chance to improve and get better. Robotic competitions have become quite popular in the last decade or so. One of the biggest and most competitive of such matches is the annual BEST robotic competition. In this article, we will take a look at an overview of the BEST robotics competition and discuss some tips for the BEST Robotics competition. 

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1. Robotics Explorer (Age 11+)

2. Robotics Champion (Age 14+)

3. Coding Champion (Age 14+)

4. Coding Starter (Age 8+)

5. Coding Explorer (Age 11+)

6. Drones Starter (Age 8+)

7. Drones Explorer (Age 11+)

8. Drones Champion (Age 14+)

Benefits of Robotics Competitions

There are many reasons for why competitions like the BEST Robotics competition have become popular. Such competitions help children gain some practical knowledge about STEM concepts. Let us quickly take a look at the benefits of Robotics competitions. 

1. Helps pique and encourage an interest in STEM and STEM-related subjects
2. Makes learning science fun and exciting
3. Allows children to gain hands-on experience working with components
4. Build leadership and team-building skills in children
5. Allows young students to find other children who are as passionate as them about science 
6. Encourages children to improve their logical thinking and problem-solving skills
7. Allows children to work in high-pressure situations and hone their technical skills

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How do robotics competitions work?

Robotics Competitions have been picking up momentum in the last few years as the world continues to push for better STEM education. While there are several kinds of robotics competitions, they all share certain similarities. For instance, all require the participants to design, build and test robots of varying shapes and sizes. While specific competitions prescribe a least and largest size for robots, others give teams a free-hand. 

Most of them also set a time limit for the teams to finish their robot in, and this ranges from three to six weeks. After building the robot, most competitions require the teams to compete head-to-head against each other. There are a variety of contests, including mazes, races and obstacle courses. Each year competitions may pick new challenges based on prominent real-world issues. Different competitions also have different eligibility criteria. These may depend on anything from the age of participants to their educational qualification. However, all robotic competitions are similar in the fact that they encourage a passion for science. They also provide kids with a platform to showcase their technical skills and work under pressure. It also requires children to work together as a team to figure out solutions to complex problems. As a result, the competition not only builds STEM skills, but it also encourages social and team-building skills. 

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BEST Robotics Competition - Quick guide

The BEST Robotics competition is one of the best robotics competitions held around the world. BEST stands for Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology, and that is exactly what the competition does! This national robotics competition that witnesses contestants from eighteen different states. Hence, the BEST Robotics competition has grown tremendously in recent years. The competition fosters scientific knowledge, cooperation, teamwork and communication. Since the competition is free for school children, it always brings in innumerable teams and participants. The competition is open to middle and high-schoolers making it an early-stage robotics competition. While there is no limit on the number of team-members, every school may enter only one team for the tournament. 

The BEST Robotics competition contains two parallel competitions- a robotics test and BEST award. While the former is a competition filled with games, the latter also includes presentations and seminars. For the robotics competition side, teams will have to compete against challenges and not each other. All teams receive an identical robotics kit that contains the same parts and equipment. Using this kit, they must enter regional tournaments, and make their way to the national competition by winning several rounds. All the teams involved get six weeks to design and build their robot. In all, the entire BEST Robotics competition takes around 42 days to complete as it comprises several rounds. 

Tips for BEST Robotics competition

1. Make sure you choose teammates who you think will contribute to the team. Try to go for like-minded people, so there is no unnecessary discord amongst the team members.
2. Remember that choosing the design for your robot is the most integral part of planning. Therefore, make sure you take everyone’s opinion at this stage.
3. Create a schedule and work plan in the beginning so that you know the roles and responsibilities of each member.
4. Never wait for the last day because building a robot is an iterative process that takes a long time.
5. Don’t feel dejected if initial designs fail. A sound engineer always reworks on their designs till they get as close to perfect as possible. 
6. Talk to experts who might know more than you about robotics and try to look for tips. Asking for help is an integral part of leadership. 
7. Never keep working on the same thing and waste your entire resource on it. In certain cases, you will have no option but to move on. While looking for perfection is good, it should not come at the cost of ruining your chances at the competition.

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How to build a prize-winning robot for BEST robotics competition? 

Now that you know all about the BEST Robotics competition let us look at a few courses that will help you make a prize-winning robot. These robotics courses have in mind the requirements and techniques needed to help children design their own bot. These courses will help you understand what skills are required to build a prize-winning bot and will help you do it. So, let us take a look at a few courses which will help you build a robot capable of winning the BEST Robotics competition!

Robotics Starter Course

The early bird catches the worm, and hence, starting early is a great way to ensure your child stays ahead of the rest. In case you feel your child has a natural liking towards science, then enrol him/her in this course! Built specifically to help children get interested in robotics and STEM, this course is the perfect gateway to larger things. It requires no prior coding or robotics knowledge, making it accessible to all. The course also serves as a Plug-and-play entry into robotics, using which they can develop various projects. Students will work on smart lamps, street lights and also an RC-bot. The knowledge they gain working on this will inspire them to try their hand at the BEST Robotics competition. 

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Robotics Explorer Course

Once you have a solid foundation, you need to build further to get ahead of the competition. That is exactly where our Explore courses come into the picture. This robotics course is perfect for children who have an innate interest in science. Built specifically for young adults around the age of 11, the Explorer course helps indulge and encourage your child’s curiosity. They will learn about simple techniques and technologies involved in making robots. This knowledge will help them gain a better understanding of the world around them. Some of the projects they will work on are smart dustbin, water dispenser, and simple robots. All these projects teach practical skills related to robot-building. As a result, it helps prepare them for the BEST Robotics competition.

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Robotics champion Course

Now that your child has the knowledge to get started on their own, help them reach for the stars with our Champions course. Suitable for bigger kids who have some understanding of STEM, this robotics course works wonders on all. The course focuses on honing the skills of children older than 14 and helps introduce text-based coding to children. Since coding serves as the backbone of most scientific technologies, this course will add a lot of value to your child’s skills. Furthermore, it also helps them start their journey working on electrical components like sensors and modules. By the end, children will build a gesture-controlled, obstacle and voice-controlled robot. Having built such advanced robots on their own, your child will now have a great chance of winning the BEST Robotics competition.

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So, what are you waiting for? Enrol your child in these courses and watch as they take the BEST Robotics competition by a storm! Do reach out to us at Skyfi Labs if you need any assistance choosing the right course to help your child scale new heights! 

How to build a prize-winning robot for BEST robotics competition?