BEST(Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) (http://www.georgiabest.org)
BEST is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like,
science and engineering based robotics competition.
THE BEST PROCESS: Each team designs and builds a radio-controlled machine to accomplish defined tasks in a game-type format. Six weeks before the competition, the teams gather for Kick Off Day in early September at local hub sites where they receive identical kits of equipment (motors, r/c unit, batteries, etc.) and raw materials from which to build their machines, and a detailed set of game rules. The machines they build cannot weigh more than 24 pounds, must fit within a 24-inch cube, and must be built only from the raw materials supplied to them by the local hub.
Judging Category Point Value
Project Engineering Notebook: 30 Points
Oral Presentation: 25 Points
Table Display/Booth : 25 Points
Spirit and Sportsmanship: 15 Points
Robot Performance: 5 Points
Project Engineering Notebook: Members are needed to complete the Project Engineering Notebook which contains the engineering process used, a two to three page research paper explaining the correlation between the game and current and future use of similar technology, Brainstorming Approaches, Analytical Evaluation of Design Alternatives, etc.
Oral Presentation: Members are needed to market their finished product and explain the design process to the Judges
Table Display/Booth: Members are needed to build a booth, create written materials, Photography, multimedia presentation, etc. highlighting the teams outreach to the community.
Spirit and Sportsmanship: Members are needed to coordinate posters, props, t-shirts, cheerleaders, etc.
Robotics Building: Members are given a very short period of time to build a robot that can perform the expected tasks.
|
