Servo - May 2009

LEGO In Schools

themed challenge is announced. From

“City Sights” to “Ocean Odyssey,” each challenge consists of a series of sub-challenges. Generally, the competing robot will start from a

“base” where a member of the team will activate the robot’s program.

From then on, the robot will move autonomously through the course, completing as many challenges as possible and returning to base every so often for repositioning and switching out appendages.

Right now, FLL is bar none the challenge to compete in. Teams of up to 10 members build and program a robot over the course of three months before competing in their regional competition. From there, winners advance to the state competition, and winners from that are invited to compete at the national level. It’s an excellent opportunity to get involved in the LEGO robotics community, and it is an invaluable experience for leadership and team building.

There are a huge number of LEGO robotics events springing up on local, nationwide, and even international

levels. While this article lists several of the main constituents of the LEGO robotics world, I encourage you to do your own research and find a program that befits your interests, availability, and needs. At the end of the day, remember that it’s not about whether you win or lose, it’s how you play with your LEGOs. SV