Robot Design Contest Stimulates Student Interest in Science

Local Businesses, Scientists Combine Forces in BEST Program

Building a robot from scratch may sound like a project for scientists or a multi-million dollar corporation. But this fall, local high school students will build competition-ready robots from $1,500 worth of spare parts.

“They have to be fairly creative, both in creating their strategy and in creating the robot,” says Bill Springer, acting hub director for BEST and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Arkansas. “You have to do what you can with the resources you are provided, and every business is like that. It is kind of hard for the kids to see it sometimes, so it is part of the mentors’ and coaches’ jobs to make them aware of it.”

Studies have shown that the promise of good pay and job security aren’t enough to lure students in the United States to technology-oriented jobs. The BEST, or Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology, program was formed by some Texas Instruments engineers who were looking for ways to get young people excited about technology. Their idea was a competitive event that could involve lots of students in a creative manner while simultaneously teaching them about industry and business.

“All we are trying to do is convince kids that science and technology is fun,” says Springer. “There is a hope that maybe these kids will stay in school longer, maybe they will go to college or a vo-tech school. … There are lots of businesses and industries around here that need people with a technical background.”

Each team gets the same problem and parts to work with. Then, the team has six weeks to create a movable robot that will be put through a series of tests in a competition. A different playing field and problem are presented each year, and points are awarded in several rounds based on a variety of variables. The team that accumulates the most points wins the contest.

In addition to the contest prizes, honors are also awarded to the teams that create the most photogenic and the most creative robots.

The top prize is the BEST Award, which is given to the school that involves the largest percentage of its enrollment in the contest. This involvement can be documented through a photo album, a videotape or other creative effort and is designed to carry out the purpose of the program: to get students excited about the possibilities of technology.

The idea relies on volunteers, mentors and business sponsors to run the contest on the local level, while a board of directors oversees the hubs and the larger competitions. The competition is in its sixth year and involves more than 240 schools in four states.

Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Van Buren, Farmington and Benton County Christian School are all participating in this year’s BEST competition as are a few other schools around the state. Due to time constraints, only high schools will compete this year, but, in the future, districts may each enter two high school teams and two junior high teams.

The Northwest Arkansas competition kicks off on Aug. 29, when the teams will receive their materials and the problem. A demonstration and practice game will be held at the Northwest Arkansas Mall on Sept. 27, and the actual competition will take place Oct. 10 at Woodland Junior High School in Fayetteville.

Growth potential

This year, the Northwest Arkansas schools will compete as one hub with the regional winners going on to the championships in Texas. Springer says he hopes the state will have two or three hubs next year, which would reduce travel costs for teams and also help sustain the excitement.

“It’s very easy to get a school like, say, Greenland, excited about trying to beat Fayetteville because they are in such close proximity to each other,” Springer explains. “You get A schools competing against AAAA schools in localized areas and it’s a pretty tense competition. By the time you get down to Texas, it is still very exciting, but you lose that local context.”

An Arkansas hub is definitely possible, Springer says, for he expects at least 20 more districts to participate next fall. Several others wanted to join this year but were unable to organize a team in time.

“I think the number is going to explode on us,” says Springer of next year’s competition. “We expect a real good turnout, but I don’t think we can anticipate the response we are going to get once the students figure out how great this is.”

Historical background

Fayetteville High School is the only area team with experience in the BEST competition. Last year, its team met two or three nights a week for six weeks to build its robot, which competed with other teams in a hub in Texas. Claire Small, last year’s coach, helped incorporate the competition into an electronics class that is offered at Fayetteville’s West Campus.

It will cost approximately $16,000 for the Arkansas hub to hold this year’s contest, says Springer. He is confident that Arkansas will be able to send a team to Texas in the fall, although the group is still looking for sponsors.

“We can use all of the help we can get,” Springer says.