Element14, an online community for engineers, has announced the Twist, Turn and Move Robotics design challenge, which asks participants to design and build a robotic arm or mobile robot that performs a specific task. Some example designs provided include a robot arm that can pick up and set down an object or that moves with all degrees of freedom, or a mobile robot that follows a line or that can avoid an object in its path.
Fifteen applicants chosen as ‘sponsored challengers’ will be provided with a ‘challengers’ kit’ featuring an Arudino Uno and TE Connectivity products, including cable, various connectors (M8, D-sub and wired board types), expansion board and motor driver shield. Other participants must also base their projects around the Challenger’s Kit, but they will have to purchase the components themselves.
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Participants will be given 11 weeks to build their project and must publish at least five blog posts detailing their progress (the judges will look more favourably on those who blog regularly during the contest period), and then present the final robot project by 19 August. All entrants must publish their final code and designs on the element14 Community for others to use. Among the judging criteria will be the use of TE Connectivity components, the robot’s interesting use of movement and the ‘media richness’ of the participants’ blog posts, with the judges looking for posts that feature lots of photos, videos and code samples.
‘From robotic arms on the international space station to home vacuums and mops, using robots to help with everyday activities is a normal occurrence for many people and no longer science fiction,’ said Dianne Kibbey, global head of community and social media for the element14 Community. ‘We’re so excited to see what kind of robots our community members create and are looking forward to seeing how they enhance their robotics skills and create something innovative in their designs.’
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The prizes include 3D printers and a self-emptying robot vacuum cleaner and a robot mop. And entrants who post five blogs and a project with the featured products will receive a MultiComp Pro multi-meter set.
Submissions close on Monday 6 June. More information can be found here.