San Antonio BEST 2016 Kick-off Bet the Farm September 17, 2016 St Mary’s University

2 Agenda Welcome and Introductions Scholarships & Sponsors Teacher Service Awards Awards Schedule & Contact Information Kit Reminders Game Overview Q & A Game Demo & Kit Pick-up

3 Teams – 1/3 Alamo Home School Alexander HS Antonian College Preparatory HS Athlos Leadership Academy Boerne MS South Brennan HS Canyon Lake HS Champion HS Devine HS Edison HS Harlandale HS Holy Cross of San Antonio IDEA San Benito College Prep Irving Academy Jay Science and Engineering Academy

4 Teams – 2/3 Johnson HS Jourdanton HS Krueger School of Applied Technologies (KSAT) La Feria HS Longfellow MS Lutheran HS of San Antonio Madison HS Marshall HS Natalia HS Navarro HS Pleasanton HS Saint Anthony Catholic HS Saint Gregory the Great School Saint Mary's Hall School

5 Teams – 3/3 School of Science and Technology Smithson Valley HS Smithson Valley MS Spring Branch MS Stacey HS STEM Early College HS Stevens HS Taft HS United Engineering and Technology Magnet Warren HS Winston School San Antonio

Results BEST Award 1.UET Magnet 2.Johnson HS 3.Saint Mary's Hall 4.Antonian Prep 5.Lutheran HS 6.Taft HS 7.Holy Cross 8.Spring Branch MS Contest 1.UET Magnet 2.Taft HS 3.Johnson HS 4.Stacey HS 5.Antonian Prep 6.Lutheran HS 7.KSAT 8.Holy Cross

7 Other 2015 Award Results -1/2 Founders Award - 1.Taft HS 2.Antonian Prep Most Robust - Antonian Prep Good Lookin' John Wigand Most Photogenic - Stacey HS Best Table Display and Interview - Johnson HS Most Spirit – Alamo Home School Most Sportsmanship – Pleasanton HS

8 Other 2015 Award Results -2/2 BEST T-shirt - Saint Mary's Hall BEST Use of Game Theme – STEM Early College Academy Software Design and Simulation – St. Gregory the Great School Blood, Sweat and Duct Tape – Lanier HS SAME Award – Lutheran HS

9 Scholarships St. Mary’s University –$60,000 & $50,000 St. Mary’s scholarship to a senior on the 1 st and 2 nd place competition teams, respectively. Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) –Cash scholarships to seniors on the BEST Award and Competition teams. Hallmark University –Up to $6,000 scholarship available to SA BEST seniors. –Application available online at SA BEST web site.

10 SA BEST Sponsors – 1/2 Saint Mary’s University Premier –Tesoro Foundation Gold –Southwest Research Institute Silver –Frost Bank –Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) –Zachry Construction Corp.

11 SA BEST Sponsors- 2/2 Bronze –Cutshall Consulting –Hallmark University –Randolph Brooks FCU –Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Central Texas Section Friends –Creative Trophies –CH Guenther & Son –Tom & Susanne O’Brien –United Health Additional Sponsor: USAA Foundation

12 BEST-wide Sponsorship National Partner –MathWorks – MATLAB and SIMULINK software Equipment Provider –igus – precision plastic and aluminum components Software Provider –Autodesk – CAD software –HSMWorks – CAM software for SolidWorks –Intelitek – EasyC software –Robomatter – RobotC Software –SolidWorks – solid modeling software –Wolfram – Mathematica software Resource Provider –Solidwize – Training for SolidWorks

13 Teacher Service Awards 5 Years David Perez – Brennan HS Paul Prince – Brennan HS Carlos Ruiz – Johnson HS Greg Schwab – Pleasanton HS Jude Sullivan – STEM Early College Frank Szarka – Marshall HS 15 Years Paul Edgar – Madison HS Laura Rodriguez – UET Magnet Hepsy Singh – St. Mary’s Hall Thomas Rodgers – Stacey HS (17 Years!) These awards are for teachers reaching the listed milestone this year.

14 Mentor/Volunteers In addition to the teachers, there are many others that help with the success of SA BEST. If you’re a mentor or a volunteer, please stand!

Awards List BEST Award – First through Fourth Founders Award – First and Second Most Robust Most Photogenic BEST T-shirt BEST Table Display/Interview Most Spirit Most Sportsmanship Best Use of Game Theme Blood Sweat & Duct Tape SAME Award Software Design and Simulation Award Details can be found in the provided documents and on the USB

16 BEST Award Components Project Engineering Notebook (30 pts) Marketing Presentation (25 pts) Team Exhibit & Interview (20 pts) Spirit & Sportsmanship (10 pts) Robot Performance (15 pts) All teams must submit a notebook. Notebooks must be submitted online at the SA BEST web site.

17 Engineering Notebook Format your notebook by judging criteria: make it easy for the judges, i.e., section headings consistent with and in the order of the judging criteria. Please review the award policies and score sheets.

18 Marketing Presentation Presentation geared as a company (the team) marketing their product (the robot) to prospective buyers/investors (the judges). The quality and creativity of the presentation will be assessed.

19 Team Exhibit and Interview Interview: Evidence that students were the primary designers & builders of the robot as well as the exhibit. Exhibit: Show interaction with other teams and community promotion of BEST. Show creativity in incorporating game theme.

20 Spirit & Sportsmanship Spirit includes: enthusiasm, posters, signs, props, costumes, cheerleaders, mascots, bands (lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!)

21 Awards Wrap-up Project Engineering Notebook is mandatory for ALL teams. It’s important for the BEST Award: 30 Points, and it may earn you a spot in the semi-finals via the wildcard game. Document, Document, Document Please review the award policies and score sheets. Organize your team, your book, your competition. Most Important - Have Fun!

22 Advancing to the State Level Competitions There are two state level competitions: 1.Texas BEST Championship 2.UIL State Championship As in the past, teams can advance to Texas BEST based on either: 1.BEST Award Performance 2.Final Ranking in the Robotics Competition UIL advancement is separate and is based on: 1.Registration to participate as a UIL team at the SA BEST level 2.BEST Award Performance Texas BEST and the UIL Championship will determine the advancing team allotment for SA BEST for both events. Teams may advance to both events. The number of teams advancing will be determined after all kickoff events have been completed.

23 Summary of Important Dates 9/24 (Sat) – Software Training 10/19 (Wed) – Online program information deadline 10/23 (Sun) – Demo Day (test your robot here!) 10/23 (Sun) – BEST Notebooks due online by 3:00 PM 10/29 (Sat) – BEST Presentations 10/29 (Sat) – Machine Compliance Check 10/30 (Sun) – SA BEST Competition 12/8 – 12/10 (Thu-Sat) – UIL & Texas BEST Competition

24 Game Day Program Information By October 19 th, teachers need to provide the team information (lists of students, mentors, and teachers, team name, team statement, etc…) for the printed program that we hand out on game day. The Team Information form is to be filled out online at the SA BEST web site (you must be logged in to have access to the form for your team). Please contact if you need help with this.

25 Notebook Submission Each team must submit a notebook online at the SA BEST website (in pdf format) by Demo Day (Sunday, 10/23) at 3:00 pm. Please verify that you have uploaded a complete pdf document (you can download your document to check this). Even if not participating in other aspects of the BEST Award, the notebook must be submitted.

26 Important Information Booklet The information booklet included in your returnable kit provides additional information on: –Demo Day –Open Practice –Presentations –Machine Check-in –Drivers List –Displays –Game Day –Kit Info!

27 Contact Information addresses and phone numbers for the volunteers can be found on the web site: Messages to must have “sabest” in the subject or they will not be delivered. Leave a message at Teachers & Mentors: Make sure that we have your correct address - update your sabest account when it changes. Check your at least once a week and check our web site for the latest information. Make sure that your box is not full. You can also find us on Facebook – just search for San Antonio BEST

28 USB Drive with all documents –Part of SA BEST Return Kit Return Kit (RK) –Electronics, motors, servos … –Power, cabling, reusable parts –non-robot/support components Consumable Kit (CK) –raw stock –some items are team-acquired Don’t use any “old” material – it’s not legal. Kit Composition You are only allowed to use what is listed on your Kit Lists. Check the RULES, because we will!

29 SA BEST Requirements: If you’re going to face-mount the motor, you must use the short screws provided with the motor mounts. Teams must use crimp connectors to connect wires to the motors. Please do not solder to the motor leads. Please review the “important information” booklet included with your return kit materials.

30 Available Software Programming Software for VEX –EasyC, RobotC, and SIMULINK CAD/CAM/Training/calculations –Solidworks, SoldWize, HSMWorks, Mathematica, Autodesk Inventor, etc Licensing & download information is provided on the USB drive and on your “important info” booklet.

31 Training and Documentation Check the “Team Resources” link at the BRI ( site for links to materials and additional online training. –Includes Mathworks SIMULINK recorded webinars Tutorials, online presentations, forums, etc are available to help with programming information, and other kit details. BEST community forum is also available for peer-to-peer support, but not for rules questions! Q&A is the source for interpretation of kit use issues.

32 Machine Check-in At Machine Check-in (the afternoon before game day): –Your team will turn in its official and final drivers' roster. –Your machine will be weighed & measured. –All return-kit parts will be checked; you must bring the entire kit including parts not mounted to your machine. –Your machine will be checked to make sure it contains no parts not on the parts lists. Remember: if it's not on the list, it's not legal for use on your machine. –You must turn in your demographics form at check-in. If your machine is out-of-compliance, you will not be allowed to compete until you correct the non- compliance issues.

33 Basic Kit Info Check the web page and your Parts are limited - there may not be replacements… Leave ALL stickers on parts. If you are using a part on contest day that should have a “Property of SABEST” sticker on it, but doesn’t, you may be disqualified. No Velcro, epoxy, duct tape on any RK parts. You may be disqualified if these are found after a match. Refer to diagrams/files online at Kits must be turned in at the end of the SA BEST competition for those not advancing to UIL/Texas BEST. (Advancing teams must turn in RK at UIL/Texas BEST) Bring ALL Return Kit parts to Machine Check-in !

34 Consumable Kit Changes Random Elimination Protocol –3 Consumable Kit items randomly removed each year. –Items change each year –Make sure to use new material each year Returned for 2016 –3/8” Plywood –Heavy door spring –2.5” Hinges Removed for 2016 –Inner tube –Brake cable –All ¾-inch PVC fittings and pipe

35 Consumable Kit Changes Items Added: –1/8-inch PVC sheet –#8 flat washers Team supplied items: –Eliminated: Soda can Tin foil Golf tees Inner tube repair kit –Added: Additional PET container Deck screws Wire management clips –Team supplied custom part (details on next slide)

36 Team Supplied Custom Part Made from a uniform (homogenous) material. Must fit in a 2x2x4 inch space. Single continuous piece of material. Raw stock must be cylindrical or rectangular if solid (liquids that harden can also be used). Kit parts cannot be embedded into part. A total of two parts are allowed. See generic rules for complete rules.

37 Returnable Kit Changes Added Hall-effect (magnetic) switches Look for a set of slides on the provided USB that show additional usage information on the switches.

38 Kit Pick Up Pick up your Consumable Kit from the big truck outside the gym doors –cardboard box of materials –sheet stock bundle –round stock bundle –PVC pipe bundle –plywood Pick up your Return Kit in the practice gym. Make sure you get both kits: Return & Consumable. Fill out your Return Kit check-out sheet prior to getting in line. Buttons, pens, packaging, etc, are NOT part of the kit.

39 Logo by Kate Radomski: #betthefarm

40 Game Story – 1/2 With last year’s success in introducing the use of robotics to assist with mining, this year BRI has decided to tackle an even more basic human necessity – food production! For the last 155 years, BLT Farms, Inc., run by Mr. Riley Bread and Family, have done things the old-fashioned way on their family farm. Horse-drawn plows slowly gave way to tractors and combines. BLT Farms has always been an early adopter of new technology, but not much has really changed for the small family farmer recently.

41 Game Story – 2/2 The Bread’s four children – Henry, Lucas, Maria, and Olivia - have all gone away to college and come home with some new ideas about the future of their family farm including hydroponics and using robots on the farm. Their ideas are not the same, and arguments between the siblings has caused ruckus on the homestead. Some of the arguments have curdled milk at twenty paces! To add to the problem, there’s been a bit of a drought lately and water is scarce. To determine what to do in terms of technology implementation on the farm, the Breads are seeking input from your Company.

42 Tasks/Objectives Plant corn seeds. Harvest and deliver corn. Harvest and deliver tomatoes. Harvest and deliver lettuce. Round up, secure, and feed loose pigs. Turn on water valve.

43 Field Overview Robot Starting Box Spotter’s Box Driver’s Box Produce Stand Corn Plot Hydroponic Stand Corn Bins Corn Silos Non-Blocking Zone

44 Field Elements – 1/3 Robot Starting Area & Pig Pen Seed Silos

45 Field Elements – 2/3 Corn Plot Corn Bins

46 Field Elements – 3/3 Produce Stand Hydroponic Stand

47 Game Pieces - Scoring ItemDescription No. per Field Point Value Start Loc. Score Loc. PigPlastic Pig2010On Field Starting Pen LettuceLuffa1615 Hydroponic Stand Produce Stand TomatoWhiffle Ball6420 Hydroponic Stand Produce Stand Corn CobPaint Roller965 or 20*Corn Stalks Harvest Bin(s) Corn SeedGolf Ball 24 per team 10 Off Field Seed Tray Planting Hole * Corn scores 20 points in the team bin and 5 points for each team in the community bin.

48 Other Scoring Water Valve Position –50 points for over/under –100 points for ON (optimum position) Bonus Scores –Feeding Pigs: 10 points per pig/corn cob pair in the starting pen. –Plant & Harvest: 30 points per pair of scored corn cob and planted corn seed. –Harvest Diversity: 50 points for each set of Corn Cob, Tomato, and Lettuce scored (maximum of 200 points per match.)

49 Scoring Requirements Review the rules for specific requirements, but in general, the items must be in contact with the bottom surface of the scoring area. Corn cobs are the exception and can be stacked, but must be 100% supported by the scoring bin. Pieces cannot be in contact with the robot at the end of the match.

50 Spotter/Driver Actions Spotters can load the corn seeds into the silo and can touch the silo when doing so. Once the seeds have been through the silo, they cannot be touched. During a match, drivers/spotters may not: –Leave their respective areas. –Touch the field, robot, game pieces except as discussed above. –Throw anything (including a fit!)

51 Additional considerations No Blocking Zones exist near a team’s produce stand and pig pen – the “owning” robot is given preference in that area and other robots must vacate (owning robots may “tag” the intruding robot to request it leaves). Stealing or tampering with game pieces placed by another team is not allowed. Aggressive/malicious actions may result in a penalty or elimination from the match.

52 Tournament Details of the tournament procedures are part of the generic rules. Each team will play up to eight times in the seeding competition (the number will be the same for all teams). Teams will be ranked by the average points scored during the seeding matches. The top 14 teams from the seeding competition will advance to the 16-team semi-final competition. (more than last year!) The notebook score will be used as a tiebreaker if needed.

53 Tournament - Wildcard To determine the 15 th and 16 th teams advancing to the semi-finals, the eight teams with the highest notebook scores (not already one of the teams advancing to the semi-finals based on seeding position) will play in a “Wildcard” match. To accommodate eight teams, two matches will be played (at the same time.) The top scoring teams in the wild card games will advance to the semi-finals. Note that both advancing teams may come from the same game.

54 Tournament – Semi-finals During the semi-final competition, each of the 16 advancing teams will play a total of three matches. The team ranking for the semi-finals will be based on the accumulated points for the three semi-final matches. The notebook score remains the tie-breaker.

55 Tournament – Finals The four top ranked teams from the semi-finals will advance to the final competition where they will play three additional matches. Points from the semi-finals will not carry forward into the Finals; all scores will be reset to zero. The final team ranking will be based on the total points accumulation during the final three matches.

56 Additional Items Drivers must rotate, but rotation of the spotter is left to the team to decide. There are additional restrictions and details contained in the rules – please read them carefully. If something isn’t clear or doesn’t make sense, check the Q&A first for already posted answers. Please ask a question only after checking the existing answers!

57 Remember … Referee decisions are final. Read all rules and the Q&A before submitting Q&A questions. The password for the Q&A page and protected files on the bestinc.org site is in the team packet. All rule changes in the Q&A page become part of the final game rules. Remember to read the generic rules (e.g., size, weight, components, drivers, etc…) This presentation is only a summary and is not official. Help promote BEST by using #betthefarm in posts.

58 Questions? What’s Next? –Game demonstration. –Returnable kit pickup. (please bring your filled out check-out sheet). –Consumable kit pickup: in the parking lot There are multiple parts to the consumable kit; please make sure you have them all because we don’t deliver!