Lesson 16: Final Competition and Showcase
Putting it all together - the grand finale!
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will:
- Demonstrate mastery of robotics programming
- Complete autonomous navigation challenges
- Present and explain their robot's capabilities
- Reflect on their programming journey
Skills Developed:
- Competition strategy and optimization
- Technical presentation skills
- Problem-solving under pressure
Competition Challenges
1 Autonomous Obstacle Course (20 points)
Challenge Description:
Navigate through a complex obstacle course using only sensors and autonomous programming. No remote control allowed!
Course Elements:
- • Start/finish gates
- • Static obstacles to avoid
- • Narrow passages
- • Dead-end traps
- • Moving obstacles (optional)
Scoring Criteria:
- • Completion time (faster = more points)
- • Collision penalties (-2 points each)
- • Bonus for smooth navigation
- • Style points for creative solutions
2 Line Following Speed Challenge (15 points)
Challenge Description:
Follow a complex line course as quickly and accurately as possible. The course includes sharp turns, intersections, and gaps.
Course Features:
- • Sharp 90-degree turns
- • S-curves and loops
- • Line intersections
- • Small gaps in the line
- • Varying line widths
Success Factors:
- • Smooth PID control tuning
- • Appropriate speed settings
- • Robust sensor calibration
- • Error recovery algorithms
3 Object Manipulation Challenge (20 points)
Challenge Description:
Use camera vision and gripper to identify, collect, and sort colored objects into designated zones.
Task Requirements:
- • Identify objects by color
- • Navigate to object locations
- • Pick up objects with gripper
- • Sort into correct zones
- • Complete within time limit
Scoring System:
- • +5 points per correct object
- • -2 points for wrong zone
- • +3 bonus for speed
- • +5 bonus for all objects
4 Creative Showcase (15 points)
Challenge Description:
Demonstrate a unique, creative behavior or capability that showcases your robot's personality and your programming skills.
Ideas for Creative Showcase:
- • Robot dance or choreographed routine
- • Interactive game with human players
- • Artistic drawing or pattern creation
- • Musical performance with movement
- • Problem-solving demonstration
- • Storytelling with robot actions
Competition Day Schedule
Setup and Registration
Teams arrive, set up robots, final testing and calibration
Opening Ceremony
Welcome, rules explanation, course walkthrough
Challenge Round 1: Obstacle Course
Each team gets 3 attempts, best score counts
Challenge Round 2: Line Following
Speed and accuracy competition
Lunch Break
Rest, recharge robots, strategy discussions
Challenge Round 3: Object Manipulation
Vision and gripper challenge
Creative Showcase
Each team presents their unique robot capability
Awards and Closing Ceremony
Recognition, reflection, and celebration!
Competition Preparation Checklist
Technical Preparation:
- Robot hardware fully assembled and tested
- All sensors calibrated and working
- Battery fully charged (bring spares)
- Programs tested and optimized
- Backup programs ready
- Tools and spare parts packed
Presentation Preparation:
- Creative showcase planned and practiced
- Technical explanation prepared
- Code documentation completed
- Team roles and strategy decided
- Troubleshooting plan ready
- Positive attitude and sportsmanship!
Reflection and Next Steps
Congratulations on Your Programming Journey!
Over the past 16 Lessons, you've transformed from programming beginners to robotics engineers. You've learned:
Programming Fundamentals:
- • Python basics and syntax
- • Variables, functions, and data structures
- • Conditional logic and loops
- • File handling and data processing
Robotics and Hardware:
- • Arduino programming and electronics
- • Sensor integration and calibration
- • Motor control and movement
- • Computer vision and AI basics
Looking Ahead to Semester 2:
Next semester, we'll dive deeper into advanced robotics topics:
- • Advanced AI and machine learning for robots
- • Wireless communication and IoT integration
- • Advanced navigation and mapping (SLAM)
- • Multi-robot coordination and swarm robotics
- • Preparation for regional robotics competitions