What is BEST Robotics?
BEST Robotics is a STEM-oriented organization that hosts a robotics competition each year. BEST Robotics competitions are open to students ages 11 to 18, and about 50 hubs exist all across the US.
When did BEST start?
BEST Robotics was founded in 1993 by Ted Mahler and Steve Marum, two engineers at Texas Instruments. A video of freshmen at Massachusetts Institute of Technology building a robot inspired them to start the program.
The Competition
The game is different every year. Themes range from microprocessor creation to mining to farming. Relevant objects, such as transistors, ore, and seeds, are represented by game pieces like dowels and golf balls.
The BEST Award
While robotics obviously centers on the robot, the BEST award incorporates many other elements of real-world corporations. These include a marketing presentation, engineering notebook, exhibit booth, and more.