Robots 101 - Programme Structure
Student Robotics is an annual robotics competition for people aged 16-19. But what actually happens during the course of the competition year?
Registration
Registration for the competition usually opens in early September. Teams usually consist of 4-8 competitors attending a school or college, though other groups are also free to enter. Your team must have a responsible adult who will oversee the team (a role we call the team supervisor) and they must be the person to sign up.
While places are free (thanks to our sponsors), they are limited. You will be notified whether or not your team has received a place shortly before the start of the competition year.
We also provide some pre-kickstart activities which teach some core concepts of robotics making use of our simulator and introduce some basic sensors that you could use on your physical robots.
Kickstart
Kickstart is the event which kicks off a competition year. The structure of the competition and the game rules are announced and any questions you have will be answered.
Typically this is a one day in-person event in October (usually a Saturday). Throughout the day there are Blueshirts (our awesome volunteers!) around in person, ready to answer any questions and to help you through the microgames. The microgames help you become familiar with the kit which is loaned to all teams and should kickstart some ideas for your robot’s design.
Mentoring
Shortly after Kickstart we aim to pair up teams with a volunteer mentor who can guide the team and help them with any technical questions. Where possible the mentor will join the team’s meetings in person, though we also offer remote mentors if that is not possible.
All teams also have access to our Discord server where they can chat with all our volunteers (as well as other teams) at any time.
Your time
Most teams work on their robot for at least two hours a week, with some teams spending four hours or more. How this time is scheduled varies between teams – some have more than one meeting a week, others have less frequent but longer sessions.
To get the most out of the time, ensure sessions are long enough to make useful progress after allowing for setting up beforehand and tidying away afterwards.
Tech Days
Throughout the year Tech Days provide opportunities to spend a whole day (usually a Saturday) working on your robot, with lots of help available. They’re also an opportunity to see how other teams are doing or get more direct help with your robot.
We provide a space for you to work in, with power and internet access, as well as volunteers able to help with the kits and hands-on guidance with your robot.
Virtual League
The Virtual League is often the first chance you’ll have to test your strategies against other teams. The Virtual League plays the same game as the physical competition, though takes place in the simulator. You’ll write code for a simulated robot which both supports the same programming interface as your physical robot and has a wide array of sensors.
This allows you to use the simulator and the Virtual League to learn about writing code for a robot as well as developing the code for your physical robot before it’s fully built. The Virtual League is thus a both a first test of your code as well as an early opportunity to explore strategies for competing against other teams.
Shortly before the event you’ll submit your robot code so the matches can be simulated. The matches are then livestreamed on our YouTube Channel. Afterwards you’ll get a copy of your simulated robot’s logs so you can continue to improve your code.
Competition
The Competition event is a two day event in spring. It’s the ultimate test for your robot in a weekend of tinkering and matches.
You’ll have a team pit for you to work in, with power and internet access, and throughout the weekend there are volunteers around to help with the kits and hands-on guidance with your robot. We also provide a test arena which you can use to check the improvements you’re making to your robot.
Typically there are blocks of league matches on the Saturday and on Sunday morning, with time to improve your robot between appearances. On Sunday afternoon you’ll advance into the knockout stages, and can go on to win prizes.