Botball Robots—build them and they will play

By Susan Flanigan

published in On the Green on April 4, 2003

Happenings Archives

What builder could resist a contest to construct a LEGO robot that plays games? A group of MSSD students will have the opportunity this spring when they compete against teams of other students in the Botball competition in the Washington, D.C., area.

Botball, a combination of "roBOT" and "BALL," is a hands-on learning experience in robotics that challenges students to make use of practical applications of science and math. Botball’s educational goals include technology awareness, engineering, C programming computer language, Internet research, design skills, and creativity. "The most important outcome is to improve students’ learning attitudes," said MSSD science teacher Mark Tao.

Each team receives a kit containing the same LEGO parts. The students will have about six weeks to build a robot and develop the programming. No remote control is allowed; students learn C programming language to get the robots to perform tasks. Botball is played on a 4- x 8-foot table. "A big part of the challenge is anticipating what the robot will encounter on the playing field, and building strategies into the program that will lead to a winning response," said Tao. "C language puts the students on the cutting edge as the program is one of the most popular computer languages used in science and business."

There are 12 regional competitions across the United States. MSSD is one of 54 area teams taking part in the Greater D.C. Regional Competition, which will take place on May 3 at the University of Maryland. The regional winners advance to the national competition and conference this summer.

The students will be in charge of building their robot and programming it for the competition. Up until the competition, they will periodically document and post their Botball program at the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics Web site in order to earn points. Documentation will include students’ mechanical design, software code, game strategy, testing procedures, team assignments, schedule, and weekly report.

Dr. David Snyder, a professor in Gallaudet’s Chemistry and Physics Department, and Mary Ellsworth, an MSSD science teacher, are helping to develop activities for the MSSD students that will give them background skills.

Botball is sponsored by a coalition of corporate, government, and educational institutions. MSSD’s Botball team received funding from the District of Columbia Space Grant Consortium. "We are very grateful for their support," said Tao.

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