Mini Darpa Challenge

[Rich Wong]

Originally Posted by irishninja

This mostly applies for people in the NYC area, but I'm sure it will give others ideas. In the recent upswing of people who own VEX kits, and after PBS's NOVA show on the Grand Challenge I had an idea. It would be really fun to have a mini darpa challenge with vex/miniature robots. In NY, probably in Riverside or Central Park or something, but I'm sure it could happen around the country.

Great idea,
using the walk paths in Central Park and Battery Park would be a great challenge course. Probably with permission from the NYC Parks Department a sectioned off area would be given to this event.

Suggestions:
1. For the first year, keep it simple and run two weight classes- FRC and VEX.

2. Create black & white pattern marks along the route for the cameras or senors to detect and to maintain their direction.

3. set limits on size, weight and sensor type for each class of competition.

4. Get some really nice trophies with the team entry fees.

5. Create a team festival or picnic during the event (like a team post-regional social)

6. Lots of planning, logistics and volunteers will make this a fantistic post-season event.