ASU Hosting State Robotics Contest

April 05, 2011

More than 700 students in grades 4-12 from across the state will gather at Angelo State University for the 2011 Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) State Robotics Arena and Inventions Contest on Saturday, April 9, in the ASU Junell Center, 2235 S. Jackson St.

The contest will run from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. with separate morning and afternoon sessions, and is open free for public viewing. The best viewing times will be at 7:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. when contestants will perform walk-throughs to prepare for judging. Concessions will also be available. This will be the first time the state contest is held outside the I-35 corridor.

Each year, the TCEA provides its members with the opportunity to explore the impact of robotics. Participating students from elementary and secondary schools use the Lego Mindstorms NXT kit to design, collaborate, construct, assemble, present and compete to see who has developed the smartest robot. The contests vary based on strategies that involve speed, accuracy, sensing objects and light. A programmable robot is limited only by the imagination of its inventor.

In addition to the prescribed problem contest, there is also an open-ended invention contest. Students use marketing, programming, writing, constructing and presentation skills to find a solution for a problem of their choice.

Over the past few months, these students have competed at area and regional contests to qualify for the state contest.

For more information, contact Patrick Dierschke at 942-2334, ext. 6240, or patrick.dierschke@angelo.edu.

General information about the state contest is available online at www.tcea.org/collaborate/robotics/Pages/index.aspx. More information about the Lego Mindstorms NXT kit is also available online at http://tinyurl.com/asu-robot.