Competition Guideline

Competition Guideline

International Robotics Olympiad: A Student's Guide to "Robots for a Better World"

This guide will help you choose a project, build it, and create a winning video, no matter your grade level!

The Enthusiastic Explorers & Creative Problem-Solvers
🚀 The Enthusiastic Explorers
Grades 3-5 (Lower Elementary)
🎯 Your Goal
Show a simple, clear idea that helps someone or something in your immediate world.
🧠 How to Think About the Theme
Think about your daily life. What small problem bothers you, your family, your teacher, or your pet?

"Better World" Ideas:
A cleaner desk, a healthier plant, a safer way for a grandparent to take medicine, helping to feed a pet.
💡 Project Ideas
🤖 The Sort-Bot A simple robot that uses a color sensor to sort different colored blocks (representing recycling) into bins.
🌱 The Water-My-Plant Bot A car robot with a water pump or a spoon mechanism that can water a small plant at a scheduled time.
📦 The Delivery Bot A robot that can carry a small item (like a pill box) from one room to another.
🔊 The "Don't Forget" Bot A robot with a motion sensor that plays a recorded message when someone walks by.
🛠️ How to Make it Work
1. Components Use a simple robotics kit with a microcontroller, a motor, and one sensor. You can also use a simple breadboard with basic components or simple kit like LEGO WeDo 2.0, LEGO SPIKE Essential.
2. Build Focus on a sturdy, simple structure. A basic car that can move and hold something is a great start.
3. Code Use drag-and-drop, icon-based coding (visual programming). Your code will likely be a short sequence: When Start -> Motor On for 3 seconds -> Play Sound.
4. Test Try it over and over! If it doesn't work, check your connections and code order.
📹 How to Record Your Video (3-5 minutes)
30 sec
Introduction: "Hi, I'm [Name] from Grade 3. My robot is called the 'Plant Helper'!"
30 sec
The Problem: Show a plant. "Sometimes we forget to water our classroom plant."
1 min
The Solution: Point to your robot. "My robot has a cup that tips over to water the plant." Show your simple code on a screen.
1 min
The Demo: This is the most important part! Film the robot successfully watering the plant. No cuts!
30 sec
Conclusion: "This helps our plant stay healthy and makes our classroom a better place!"
🚀 The Creative Problem-Solvers
Grades 6-8 (Middle School)
🎯 Your Goal
Solve a community or environmental problem with a more complex robot that uses sensors.
🧠 How to Think About the Theme
Look at problems in your school, local park, or city. Think about safety, accessibility, or the environment.

"Better World" Ideas:
Reducing litter, helping people with disabilities, making streets safer, conserving energy.
💡 Project Ideas
🤖 The Beach Cleanup Bot A robot that can detect and pick up small objects (simulating litter) from a sandy surface.
🦾 The Assistive "Reacher" Bot A robotic arm that can pick up an object from the floor and lift it to table height.
💡 The Smart Streetlight Bot A model of a streetlight that uses a light sensor to automatically turn on when it gets dark.
🚗 The Road Safety Bot A model car with an ultrasonic sensor that automatically stops before it hits an obstacle.
🛠️ How to Make it Work
1. Components Use a modular robotics kit or a beginner microcontroller board (like an Arduino-based kit). You will need motors, sensors (ultrasonic, touch, light), and maybe a servo motor.
2. Build Incorporate moving parts like arms, grippers, or conveyor belts. Think about gear trains for more power or precision.
3. Code Use block-based coding with more complex loops and conditional statements. Example: Wait until Ultrasonic Sensor < 10 cm -> Motor Stop.
4. Test & Iterate Your first design will likely fail. Redesign your gripper, adjust your code values, and try again. Document this process!
📹 How to Record Your Video (3-5 minutes)
30 sec
Introduction: "We are Team Innovators from Grade 7. We designed the 'Auto-Recycle Bot' to tackle plastic pollution."
1 min
The Problem & Research: "We learned that a lot of recyclable plastic ends up as litter because sorting is hard."
1 min
The Solution & Build: Explain your design. Show how the mechanism moves and the sensor identifies objects. Briefly show code.
1.5 min
The Demo & Challenge: Show the robot working. Mention a challenge you faced and how you fixed it!
30 sec
Conclusion: "If scaled up, our bot could make recycling easier and our world cleaner."
🚀 The Innovative Engineers
Grades 9-12 (High School)
🎯 Your Goal
Address a complex global issue with a sophisticated, reliable, and well-researched robot.
🧠 How to Think About the Theme
Think about the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Good Health, Sustainable Cities, etc.

"Better World" Ideas:
Precision agriculture, medical assistance, disaster response, renewable energy monitoring, smart city infrastructure.
💡 Project Ideas
🤖 The Precision Farming Bot A robot that uses a soil moisture sensor to autonomously navigate a small plant field and only water the dry spots.
🚁 The Medical Delivery Drone (Simulation) A robot that uses GPS coordinates (simulated with color codes) to deliver a small package from a "clinic" to a "patient's home."
☀️ The Solar Panel Cleaner Bot A robot that moves across a surface and uses a brush mechanism to clear away debris.
☁️ The Air Quality Monitoring Bot A robot that drives around with a sensor, logging data and alerting when it detects "pollution."
🛠️ How to Make it Work
1. Platform Use open-source microcontroller platforms (like Arduino, Raspberry Pi) or advanced robotics kits like VEX V5, or advanced MINDSTORMS. You might combine 3D-printed or custom-built parts.
2. Build Focus on efficiency, accuracy, and durability. Your build should look professional.
3. Code Use text-based programming (Python, C++). Implement complex logic, data logging, and sensor fusion (using multiple sensors together).
4. Test & Analyze Don't just show it works; show data. How much water did you save? How much faster was the delivery? Use graphs or numbers in your video.
📹 How to Record Your Video (3-5 minutes)
30 sec
Introduction: A confident pitch. "Our team, 'Future Engineers,' presents 'AgriBot,' an autonomous solution for sustainable water use in agriculture."
1 min
The Problem & Research: Cite a statistic. "Agriculture uses 70% of the world's freshwater. Our research shows that smart irrigation can reduce waste significantly."
1.5 min
The Engineering: Explain your innovative mechanism and sophisticated code. Show a block diagram of your system. Highlight a technical challenge and your solution.
1 min
The Data-Driven Demo: Show the robot working flawlessly. Use on-screen text to highlight key data points: "Water Saved: 50ml compared to traditional method."
30 sec
Conclusion & Future Vision: "Our prototype proves the concept. The next step is a larger-scale model. This technology can truly contribute to a better, more sustainable world."

International Robotics Olympiad: Video Submission Guidelines

Ready to showcase your robot to the world? To complete your registration for The International Robotics Olympiad, you must submit a video no longer than 5 minutes, with a file size no larger than 1GB.

Your Mission: The Video Presentation

Your video is your chance to present your innovative robot to our international judges. In three to five minutes, introduce yourself/your team and give a compelling overview of your project. Demonstrate your robot in action and explain how it contributes to a "Better World."

🎥 Production Tip Don't worry about Hollywood-level production! Judges are scoring your project, not your film quality. Use what you have—a phone, tablet, or laptop is perfect. The key is that the judges can hear you clearly and see your robot and its demonstration without any issues.

How to Create Your Video

Method: Choose Your Style
In Front of the Camera Talk directly to the judges. You can demonstrate your robot, walk them through your design sketches or code snippets (on a poster/screen), and explain your process.
Screen Recording with Voiceover Record a PowerPoint or similar presentation where you talk over slides that contain images, diagrams, and short video clips of your robot.
⏱️ LENGTH: Maximum 5 minutes. (Judges stop watching at 5:00!)
📁 FORMAT: Landscape (1920x1080), .mp4 file, Under 1GB.
Audio Checklist
  • Clear audio is crucial! The judges want to hear your story.
  • Find a quiet place to record to avoid background noise.
  • Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Don't rush!
  • Take a deep breath and explain your project with confidence.
General Recording Tips
  • Landscape Mode Always! Hold your phone sideways.
  • Steady Shot: Rest your phone on a stack of books or use a tripod.
  • Good Lighting: Face a window or lamp (light should be in front of you, not behind).
  • Sound Check: Do a 10-second test recording to check for echo or muffling.
  • Practice! Rehearse to sound confident and stay within the time limit.

What to Include

Your video should tell the story of your robot. Make sure to cover these key points:

1. Introduction
Who are you/your team? What is your project's name?
2. The Problem & Vision
What real-world problem are you solving? Why did you choose it? Explain your "Better World" vision.
3. The Robot Solution
Explain how your robot works. What is its core function? You can highlight its design, mechanisms, and code.
4. The Journey
Briefly mention any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. What did you learn?
🚀 5. The Demonstration (Essential!)
Show your robot successfully performing its task. This is the proof of your hard work.
💡
PRO TIP: If you are showing diagrams, code, or physical components on camera, hold them steady and make sure they are in focus so the judges can see them clearly.

Simple Editing & Software Tips

Working as a remote team? No problem! You can merge clips from different team members into one video.
PC (Windows)
Use the built-in Photos app for simple editing, trimming, and adding voiceovers.
Mac & iOS
iMovie is a free and powerful tool for combining clips and adding titles.
Any Device
Adobe Premiere Rush offers a free version with professional features and works on PCs, Macs, iOS, and Android.
🎙️ How to: Recording a PowerPoint Voiceover
  1. Open your PowerPoint and go to the Slide Show tab.
  2. Click Record Slide Show.
  3. Choose to start from the beginning, and begin narrating your slides. It's that easy!

Wondering What Makes a Winning Robotics Video?

1
Be Passionate

Choose a problem you genuinely care about. Your excitement for creating a positive impact with robotics should shine through in your voice!

2
Research Your Problem

A strong project is built on understanding. Research the problem you're solving to make your solution more impactful and informed.

3
Innovation is Key

We are looking for students who think outside the box. Don't be afraid to try a unique mechanism or a novel application. Surprise the judges!

4
Plan Your Storyboard

Before filming, write a script and plan your shots. What will you show first? How will you demonstrate the robot? A little planning makes a clear video.

5
Communicate Clearly

You are the expert! Explain your ideas clearly and concisely. Avoid jargon and make sure your message is easy to follow.

6
Focus on One Idea

With only 5 minutes, it's better to explain one innovative feature really well than to list many half-developed ideas.

7
Show, Don't Just Tell

A powerful demonstration is worth a thousand words. Use graphics or labels on screen to highlight key parts of your design or code.

8
Test Your Video

Before submitting, show your video to a friend or family member. They can provide valuable feedback on audio clarity and explanation flow.

Suggestive Project Ideas: “Robots for a Better World”

A complete list of suggestive project ideas for “Robots for a Better World” is available below. These are designed to inspire students to create robots that contribute to a better world. Kindly note these are just suggestions; students are in no way compelled to use them and are encouraged to use their own inspiration and creativity.
📥 Download Project Ideas List (PDF)
Note on Materials: The materials listed for each project are sufficient to create a functional working model. Students are encouraged to enhance, modify, or make more advanced versions of these bots using additional materials, sensors, or programmable kits if they wish. Creativity and innovation are highly encouraged.
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