Over the past 10 years, student robotics has become a popular method of teaching technical skills at the middle and high school level. Commonly structured as competitions, these programs encourage the design, assembly and programming of purpose built machines to achieve a particular objective. A LEGO based program has been offered to younger students (up to 14 years old) and a more challenging program – VEX Robotics Competition – is available for local students at the high school level.
The VEX program integrates physical concepts such as power, torque and mechanical advantage with the abstract concepts of programming to produce a tangible outcome.
The high-school oriented program is based on a meccano-like system called VEX, which consists of structural components, motors, sensors and a programmable controller. Each year a challenge is issued, involving the manipulation of objects for points. Competitors have a few months to build their robots and then gather for competition.
Competition Date & Details
- Date: Saturday, February 16, 2013
- Time: 9:00 am
- Venue: NAIT North Lobby 11762 – 106 street Edmonton AB
- Registration Deadline: February 1, 2013
- Capacity: 25 teams
- Programming & Robot Skills: There will be a challenge to test programming/robot skills and an award will be given to the winning team.
VEXNet or Crystal based remote controls will be allowed to compete.
A $50 coupon for iDesign Solutions, which can be used to purchase VEX Robotics hardware, will be provided to all teams that register for the competition.
How to Register
Step 1: Register your Team - Team registration fee is $75.00 (additional teams from the same school can register for $25.00)
Step 2: Enter the NAIT VEX Competition - Entrance fee is $50.00
Step 3: Sign up for any Clinics, Workshops or Scrimmage Sessions at no cost. Contact Neil Wenger at 780.378.6940 to sign-up.