Botball

Teams use a standardized kit of materials, document the process and then compete in a tournament in which the challenges change annually.

In recent years it also holds an annual Global Conference on Educational Robotics (GCER), with an international tournament that attracts teams all over the country as well as from Mexico, Austria, China, Uganda, Poland, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, and many others.

[1] Botball's mantra is that “Today’s Botball kids are tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.” [2] The program is managed by the non-profit KISS Institute for Practical Robotics (KISS stands for the engineering acronym: Keep It Simple Stupid) whose vision is to use robotics "to stimulate and engage students in exploring their potential in engineering, science and math.

"[3] The goal of Botball and KISS to educate the workforce of the future and to engage students in science, technology, engineering and math.

[7] Robot Magazine, highlighted in an article the gameplay and systems, "Every year the game offers different challenges at varying levels of difficulty, so participants can focus on harder goals, or find simpler solutions, based on their abilities ... Botball uses the CBC2, a powerful robot controller that easily interfaces with a large number of sensors and effectors and features an ARM 9-based CPU/Vision processor running LINUX, an ARM 7-based DAQ/Motor control system, and integrated display and touch screens that are easy to use.

The CBC2 uses the KISS-C Integrated Development Environment and its libraries, especially designed to be friendly to users with vastly different programming experience.

[9] The KISS Institute for Practical Robotics is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit education and research organization, incorporated in Virginia in 1994.

Ms. Stein has recently retired as executive director; she is succeeded by Dr. Steve Goodgame, an experienced educator who became CEO via No Contest.

Dr. Miller is the Chief Technology Officer, as well as the Wilkonson Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.

[10] At the start of each Botball season, each team receives a kit of components with enough material to build two completely autonomous robots.

When two teams compete against each other, they start on opposite ends of the playing surface and have 120 seconds to move around objects and score points.

GCER has been hosted in Hawaii; Northern and Southern CA; Norman, OK; Jacksonville, FL; Leesburg, VA; and Edwardsville, IL, and Washington DC.

Botball 2011 participants practice at the official game table prior to their competitive round.
A diagram of the 2008 Botball field. A is the solarium, b is the shelter, c are objects to be collected, d are satellites, e are the solar sails, f is the garden, g is Botguy, and h is the bridge.