Indianapolis VEX Robotics Championships

 Topher Congdon,Roche Diagnostics Corp mentor for Gambold High School and Andrew Brown, Roche Diagnostics Corp. mentor for Warren Central explain how two-day event will expose students to the excitement of competitive robotics, inspiring many to continue on with other higher-level robotics programming and ideally, STEM career pathways.

Some 40 Indianapolis high school teams have entered the event, which culminates with the crowning of the City of Indianapolis Robotics Champion. Top teams will qualify for the 2013 VEX Robotics World Championship, representing Indiana against 700+ teams from the U.S and over 20 other countries. The event is free and open to the public. Students from participating schools are encouraged to attend to cheer on their robotics team.

THE ROBOT:
The 2012 Indianapolis VEX Robotics Championship (IRC) presented by Roche Diagnostics will introduce students to robotics using the VEX Robotics Design System.  Student teams, with guidance from their teachers and mentors, will compete to build the most innovative robots possible. The VEX system offers students and teachers an exciting hands-on platform to begin their exploration of robotics both in the classroom and during out-of-school activities. For more information visit: www.vexrobotics.com.
 
THE GAME:
The 2012-2013 game, VEX Sack Attack, is played on a 12’x12’ square field.  Two alliances, composed of two teams each, compete in matches consisting of a 15-second autonomous period followed by one minute and forty-five seconds of driver-controlled play.  The object of the game is to attain a higher score than the opposing alliance by scoring sacks and bonus sacks in colored floor goals, troughs and high goals, and by having the most robots from your alliance parked at the end of the match.
THE SCHEDULE:               

Saturday, January 19, 2013
1:00 pm – Team Load-In, Registration
1:30 pm – Pit Area Practice Fields Open
3:30 – 6:00 pm – Skills Challenges
3:50 pm – Opening/Welcome Speakers
4:00 – 6:30 pm – Qualifying Rounds Begin
6:45 pm – Pit Area and Venue Close

Sunday, January 20, 2013
9:30  – 12:30 pm – Qualifying Rounds/Skills Challenge Continue
12:30 – 1:15 pm – Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30 pm – Qualifying Rounds Finish
2:30 pm – Alliance Selection Process
3:00 – 5:30 pm – Playoffs, Awards, Closing Ceremony