Hosting a Robot Competition

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We call our Lego robot competition at the end of each semester Robot Challenge. Please see the general guidelines for competitions. Here are the special considerations for a Lego robot event.

Contest and Rules

There are many ideas for Lego robot competitions on our robot contests page. Our most popular contest is Lego Robot Sumo which is a good competition for beginners and very exciting. If your league holds two robot competitions a year, I would suggest that not more than one of them be Lego Robot Sumo to provide a variety of challenges. Pick your competition early in the semester and announce it to all the clubs in your league so they can prepare.

Location

For Robot Challenge you need a space with the following:

• A large open area for the competition
• Chairs set up in circles around the playing area
• Tables along the walls where teams repair and program robots
• Electrical outlets near the tables to plug laptops into
• A microphone and speaker system for the announcer

Usually schools can provide all of these at no cost.

Equipment and Supplies

Make an equipment and supplies list well before the event and check off items as you gather things together. Here's a typical list of items:

• Signs directing visitors to the competition room
• A poster about the host club
• Team sign up sheets
• Box with team numbers written on slips of paper (see registration)
• Playing field for robots (see individual contest rules)
• Second playing field for teams to use for testing (optional)
• Overhead projector or laptop and computer projector with screen for scoring
• Scoring sheet on transparent film (2 copies) and marker pens
• Scorecards for tallying the points earned each run (if needed)
• Copy of the rules
• Stopwatch or watch that shows seconds
• Digital camera
• Popcorn machine and supplies, napkins
• Soft drinks, cups
• Ribbons and trophies
• Challenge Awards

Jobs at the Event

Announcer - Narrates the action with a microphone and sound system (essential). Pick someone entertaining.

Scorekeeper - Marks scores on the scoring sheet shown on the overhead projector. Tells announcer which teams are up and which are on deck. Must work closely with the announcer.

Timekeeper - Starts the stopwatch at the beginning of each timed match, calls the end of the match when time expires.

Rules keeper - Keeps a copy of the rules, decides any dispute relating to the rules in consultation with other officials.

Photographer - Takes pictures with the digital camera. Good job for a student provided they know the basics of photography - framing, action shots, show people's faces, close-ups, etc. Later post these pictures on your club web site.

Registration officials - Responsible for team signup sheets, checking in robots, weighing and measuring robots if needed, assigning team numbers if needed. May need two people.

Popcorn machine - Two people to make popcorn. Students like to do this but need an adult safety monitor.

Food table - Two people to give out or sell drinks and popcorn.

Honorable mention judges - One or two adults to wander around looking for instances of outstanding sportsmanship, such as recovering from adversity (e.g. a dropped robot), helping another team, etc. See Honorable Mention under Awards.

Schedule of Events

Preparation (60 minutes)

The host club arrives an hour early to set up chairs, tables, posters, the playing field(s), the registration and food tables, the popcorn machine, the sound system, and the overhead projector. Place signs in the hallways so clubs can find their way from the entrance door to the competition room.

Arrival and Registration (30 minutes)

Place the registration table by the door. As teams arrive the registration officials assign a team number. For double elimination contests team numbers are assigned by drawing numbers randomly from a box. This assures fairness in the match ups. The registration officials measure and weigh each team's robot to verify it follows the rules. Then teams list their club name and team name on a team signup sheet using the team number given. A club may field any number of teams.

Sample team signup sheet

Team and Robot Photographs (during arrival and registration)

The photographer takes a picture of each team holding their robot and a close up of each robot. These are later posted on the club web site.

Contest - Part 1 (45 minutes)

When all teams have registered the registration officials take the team signup sheet to the announcer, who announces the event will begin in a few minutes. The announcer and scorekeeper examine the team signup sheet and prepare the scoring sheet.

The first half of the competition is held following the rules of the specific contest. After each match the scorekeeper writes the score or winner on the score sheet and calls out the next team(s) up and on deck.

Intermission (15 minutes)

Attendees visit the food table and rest rooms. Teams repair robots if needed.

Contest - Part 2 (45 minutes)

The second half of the contest is held.

Awards Ceremony (15 minutes)

The photographer takes pictures of all students earning awards in groups.

Cleanup (30 minutes)

The total time listed excluding preparation and cleanup is 2 hours 30 minutes, but allow 3 hours for overruns.

Scoring

There are several approaches to scoring depending on the type of contest. Each has its pros and cons.

Highest score wins

In some contests such as Robot Basketball a robot earns points for each part of the task completed. Other contests are based on the fastest time to complete a task, such as Balloon Challenge, or some combination of points and time. In all these cases each robot receives a numeric score and the highest score wins. You can run one robot at a time or more than one robot simultaneously to shorten the competition. You can also let each robot run 2 or 3 times and sum all the scores to get a total score. Let every team go once, then every team go a second time, etc. This gives teams time to make improvements based on experience.

During each run record the points earned using a scorecard. The scorekeeper computes the score for each run and writes it on the scoring sheet on the overhead projector. This lets everyone see where they are in the standings as the contest progresses and builds excitement.

Sample scorecard      Sample scoring sheet

Double elimination

In head-to-head contests like Robot Sumo no numeric score is given. Two robots face off in a match and one wins. One way to decide an overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner is double elimination.

Double elimination means that a robot must lose twice to be eliminated from the contest. This is good because it keeps students engaged even after their first loss. It works well for up to about 25 robots in a contest. More than 25 takes too long. Double elimination tournaments are very exciting and generate a lot of cheering and yelling from the audience as the stronger robots percolate up through the chart and face strong competitors. But it can also become TOO competitive, leading to discouraged students and angry parents. To prevent this announcer must maintain a tone of fun and playfulness, reminding people it's just a game and that everyone who made the effort to participate is a winner.

Print out the appropriate charts below and copy onto transparency film for the overhead projector:

16 robot double elimination chart and instructions - designed for Pinewood Derby but works fine for robot contests. Go to this page, right click the chart and select "print picture" or similar. Also contains instructions on how to use a double elimination chart.

32 car double elimination chart - unbeaten bracket
32 car double elimination chart - 2nd try bracket (never say "losers")

Using double elimination charts can be confusing. Have your scorekeeper read the instructions and work through a sample competition before the real event.

Awards

Here are the awards we give out at Robot Challenge. See Awards in the General Guidelines for more ideas and a suggested source.

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies - one to each winning team

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons - one to each student on a winning team.

Honorable Mention ribbons - up to 10 ribbons given to students demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship such as recovering from adversity (e.g. a dropped robot), helping another team, etc. See Honorable Mention judges under Jobs.

Awards of Merit - ribbons given to every student who did not receive another ribbon.

Challenge Awards - Earned by students at their club meetings and brought by coaches to be awarded at Robot Challenge.