2019 BEST Game Teaser
Link to 2019 Competition Game Teaser https://www.youtube.com/embed/kcaoyXWEDCU?rel=0
Robotics competition rewards innovation
October 31, 2019
Students were tasked with designing and building a robot to repair the electric grid
after a catastrophe happens.
The mission of BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology) is to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through participation in a competitive robotics program that fosters knowledge, teamwork, and communication. Students learn to work through the engineering design plan as they develop strong communication skills, effective leadership and teamwork abilities, understand the entrepreneurial process, and comprehend the global business environment.
The theme of this year’s competition is “Off the Grid”. Students are afforded the opportunity to design, build and test robots to repair the electric grid when catastrophe happens. Maintenance and repair of the power grid is one of the more dangerous occupations, so to help mitigate this problem teams have designed robotic systems to repair aerial high voltage lines and underground buried cables; transport and replace line insulators and transformers; and clear and remove ground debris such as trees and limbs. In addition, robotic systems may be tasked to go into the most dangerous areas where the ambient field levels are so high that the system must autonomously navigate to deliver equipment to the towers.
The students were shown the nationwide standard playing field and given $1,500 of robotic components September 7, 2019, 42 days before the competition. In that time, they had to build a robot capable of removing debris and repairing the electrical grid.
Teams compete on a local level to advance to the next round, with a final regional competition held at year’s end.
In addition to the STEM-based robotics competition, there’s also the BEST Award that takes an entrepreneurial slant incorporating marketing, trade booth exhibits and design, community outreach, product pitching and closing the deal.
Troy University BEST Robotics 2019 Game Day Competition Results
Over All
Engineering Notebook
1st Place
Goshen High School
2nd Place
Pike County Schools Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning
3rd Place
Abbeville High School
Most Robust Robot
Goshen High School
Founder's Award for Creative Design
Enterprise Career and Technology Center
Robot Performance
1st Place
Zion Chapel School
2nd Place
Pike County Schools Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning
3rd Place
Abbeville High School
Blood, Sweat, and Determination
Valiant Cross Academy
BEST Award Category
BEST Award
1st Place
Pike County Schools Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning
2nd Place
Abbeville High School
3rd Place
Enterprise Career and Technology Center
Web Page Design
1st Place
Thurgood Marshall Middle School
2nd Place
Abbeville High School
3rd Place
Enterprise Career and Technology Center
Spirit and Sportsmanship
1st Place
Pike County Schools Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning
2nd Place
Enterprise Career and Technology Center
3rd Place
Thurgood Marshall Middle School
Exhibit in Informal Interviews
Pike County Schools Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning
Marketing Presentation
Abbeville High School
Head-to-Head Competition
Head-to-Head Competition Award
1st Place
Goshen High School
2nd Place
Zion Chapel School
Web Page Design
1st Place
Zion Chapel School
2nd Place
Goshen High School
Spirit and Sportsmanship
1st Place
Zion Chapel School
2nd Place
Goshen High School
3rd Place
Valiant Cross Academy
The following teams will represent Troy University BEST Robotics in the South’s BEST Regional Robotics Championship hosted by Auburn University December 7 – 8, 2019: 1) Pike County Schools Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning, 2) Zion Chapel School, and 3) Abbeville High School. They will compete against teams from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Florida.
Troy University BEST Robotics is free to schools. Providing the venue, materials to build the robots, and the competition and educational models, requires corporate and foundation support. Troy University BEST is fortunate to be supported by a grant from the Missile Defense Agency and financial sponsors Lockheed Martin, Troy University Annual Fund, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, South Alabama Electric Cooperative, Southeast Gas, ACCESS, Troy University College of Education, Conecuh Bridge & Engineering, Inc., Brannon Golden Trucking, LLC, Eric Mucklow, and Folmar Consulting Firm.
It is our mission to expand the number of schools and students that will be able to participate in the Troy University BEST Robotics program. In order to expand our program we must secure additional financial partners. You may visit the Troy University BEST Robotics web page to make your donation today.
Troy University BEST Robotics Donation https://www.troy.edu/searic/bestrobotics/sponsors.html
Team members working in the pit.
More team members working in the pit.
Awards ceremony.
Team participating in the "Parade of Robots".
Team competing on the field in the game “Off the Grid”.
Team’s robot driver confirming scores with the referee.
Team’s driver and spotter confirming scores with the game referee.
Awards ceremony.
Awards ceremony.
Awards ceremony.
Team driver, spotter and robot participating on game field “Off the Grid”.
Team participating in the “Parade of Robots”.
Team members and team mentor working in the pit.