Help For First Time Teams

or, "What Have I Gotten Myself Into?"

How Does This Whole Thing Work?

• Starts with Kickoff.• Bring team, cameras, video, paper, pencil,

etc....• Post Kickoff meeting.• Four weeks of building.• Mall day• Two more weeks of building• Competition Day• A LOT for six weeks!

How Hard is This?

• For you? Not so much.• For the team?  It is difficult, but fun.• The role of sponsor/mentor is to make sure they keep their

fingers and toes.•  You will get asked, "How are we going to do that?"• Sample responses: "I don't know how YOU are going to do

that."  Or, "Luckily I don't have to figure that out."• Avoid the urge to be a "fixer".•  Instead, help them help themselves.

How Much Money Do We Need?

• None.• Well, that's not true.  You probably will need some.• It really depends on what you are doing.• Material for booth, T-shirts, transportation• Tools

How Much Time?

• How much time do you have?• BEST lasts 42 days.• Pre-competition, I spend a couple days per week leading up.• We discuss fundraising, technical things, team setup, etc...• During the 42 days, we meet M-Th 3:00-5:30 and some

Saturdays.• This is to conform to our school's timeframe (and Football)• Do what makes your team comfortable.• After BEST, we meet for other competitions to keep the

theme going.

Maybe We Should Just Do the Minimum. What Would That Be?• Minimum input is a robot and engineering notebook.• I suggest trying the BEST award.• Creates a more immersive experience.• Creates a niche for more students to participate.• If you have some difficulty, you can skip a part.• Last year, band took my whole presentation team on

competition day.• The more you do, the more students you can involve.

Could We Skip the T-shirts?

• Sure!• Do what makes you comfortable.• But, remember that you trying to appeal to all types.• Your artistic kids could design the shirt• They can even win an award at the competition!• T-shirts are fairly inexpensive.  I get mine for less than

$7.00 

How Many Kids?

• BEST does not have a size limit or requirement• That said, there is probably an optimum number.• Less than 10 is getting a little thin.• More than 30 (for me) is unmanageable.• Personally, I like 20.  • That said, this year's team has 28.  I can't tell them no. :)

What Stuff Do We Get To Build the Robot Out Of?

• Mostly? Junk.• There are 2 kits: a returnable kit (not junk) and a

consumable kit (junk)• The returnable kit is the robot brain, controler, motors,

servos, etc... • You have to turn it back in.  • They want it mostly in the same condition it came in.• The consumable kit is the building material.• Plywood, PVC, screws, nuts, bolts, wire, metal pieces, etc...• You can ONLY use things from the kits to build with (with a

little exception)

Engineering Notebook

• Keeping an account of what you did.• Explains how the team went from no robot to,"robot".• Research paper• Engineering process• Scoring strategy• Pictures• CAD or sketches

Web Help for Programming

• Programming the Cortex has a learning curve, but not as steep at the old BRAIN.

• RobotC uses C code• EasyC Drag and Drop GUI• MathWorks Similar to EasyC• There are online tutorials, webinars, etc...

Important To Note

• If you don't know, ask.• Check the rules (have a "rules monitor")• Check the Q&A on the BEST website (Have monitor, watch

this every day)• Q&A superceeds