YOUTH ROVER CHALLENGE
The Mars Society
Agenda
Overview & Goal Program Objectives The Model Rover The Sandbox Basic Guidelines Qualification Process Regional Competitions Q&A
What is Youth Rover?
Youth Rover (YRC) is a LEGO robotic challenge designed for ages 10-17
The Primary goal is “to have younger students excited, engaged, and focused on a robot program with a strong Mars flavor prior to university level programs”
Benefits include positive side effects that are support common STEM goals
Program Objectives Develop a repeatable program most any
school or group can participate with (Schools, Scouts, Individual Teams)
Increase likely hood of participation by having cost efficient structure/meansLess than $500 USD total for a teamProposed Rental program less than $250 USD
Create a very strong following using web, social media, and organizations that can enable pride in participating
The Model Rover – YRC13 ‘13 model built from
LEGO NXT 2.0 Uses 90% from LEGO
Education Kits LDD (Lego Digital
Designer) software
YRC13v3
• Designed by German Automotive R&D Engineer Stefan Rolf• Clean Flexible Design for a “JPL” feel• Durable yet simple to build (170 +/- Parts)
The Sandbox
8’ x 8’ Area for testing and qualification Designed to ensure each team can
remotely replicate the area for where the rover will operate and complete tasks
Requires only basic tools and materials available at any hardware store
Built so that it can be recycled into a permanent garden or removed easily
A1
B1
C1
D1
E1
F1
G1
H1
A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8
B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8
C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8
E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E8E7
F2 F3 F4 F5 F7F6 F8
G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8
H3H2 H6H5H4 H8H7
Basic Guidelines
Junior Varsity and Varsity LevelJr. Varsity – Grade/middle school grades 5-8Varsity - High school grades 9-12State based region based on geography
Team of five (5) people for each team(adult) Sponsor / Teacher / Troop leader(child) Team Leader / Organizer(child) Robot Engineer(child) Software Engineer(child) One Videographer/Writer
Qualification Process
1. Enrollment online with team information
2. Acquire the LEGO kit parts needed
3. Build the 8’ x 8’ Sandbox with materials
4. Build the rover with the v1 LDD file
5. Configure the rover with program
6. Test the 3 configurations in the sandbox
7. Videotape the each of the configurations operating their tasks in the sandbox
8. Upload the final videos of each configuration to the YouthRover.com site
Regional Competitions
Held March-April 2014 Timeframe Up to 3 teams invited from each region Regionals will be held at following space
related locations: (indoor / outdoor)East – Goddard Space CenterSouth – Cape CanaveralCentral – Adler PlanetariumWest – JPL Headquarters
Possible Final Four at 17th Annual TMS
Q&A
Learn more about YRC’13 STEM Event Booth YouthRover.com Social Assets:
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