Design Challenge Frequently Asked Questions - Updated: 1/3/2012
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1. Is the contest only open to freshmen and sophmores?
2. Can any student at the school help?
3. Can students currently enrolled in other PLTW classes assist in the design phase?
Answer to questions 1, 2, & 3 - The contest is open only to any PLTW student that is currently enrolled in IED and/or POE, regardless of grade level. Students that are enrolled in other PLTW classes, but not in IED and/or POE are not permitted to compete. The reason for limiting to IED/POE students is to ensure an "even playing field" for all schools as some competing are fairly new to PLTW.
(Exception: if students are on a block schedule and have just completed either IED and/or POE, they are permitted to compete.)
Glue guns will be supplied the construction phase of the project. Glue sticks will not be supplied. See the Design Challenge for materials (other than the Bill of Materials) that will be supplied at the competition site.
The Design Brief states, "Sources in the Bill of Materials are provided as a reference only." To clarify, student implementers will be given materials as stated in the Bill of Materials description at the competition sites.
3. Could you provide more guidance on the cardboard sheet (8 1/2 x 11), first item on page 7?
Sheets to be like those found at http://www.amazon.com/Grafix-Chipboard-11-Inch-Natural-25-Pack/dp/B00161W6L8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323089383&sr=8-3
4. Can you provide more guidance on the soda straws (second item on page 7)?
Drink straws will be 8" in length, non-flexible. See http://www.amazon.com/Price-Soton-Translucent-Straws-Supplies/dp/B003V2B0E4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1323090043&sr=8-8 as a reference.
Velcro strips do have a "sticky back"? See http://www.amazon.com/Velcro-Closure-Strips-6-Pack/dp/B005Z3V5CE/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1323090234&sr=1-3 as a reference.
6. Can we drill a hole in the base?
Yes, contestants can drill into the base, as long as the overall dimensions of the base are maintained 12" x 12". Contestants are reminded the robot can be located anywhere on the base EXCEPT in the area where the candies are located.
The robot can occupy any space where candy is not located.
2. Are we required to build a robot at our school and bring it to the competition?
No, there is no requirement to build a robot at your school. The first phase of the Design Challenge is to design a functioning robot and submit the design for judging. It is at the discretion of your school or team to build a robot at the school to test your design. Penn State will not supply any materials to any school except at the Competition site on the day of the contest.
No! Schools that elect to compete at the competition site will construct a Best Design award from another region. Competitors will not have seen the design prior to competing.
4. Does the robot simply need to pick up the candy and place it on any spot off of the base?
The robot must pick up the candy and set it down off of the base plate. It may not drop the candy off the base plate.
1. The deadline for Design submissions has been changed from January 6, 2012 to January 20th, 2012
2. High schools may now send a team of up to 5 IED/POE students to a competition site, even if that school has not submitted a Design prior to the contest. That team will not be eligible for the Best Design award. The Best Design award will still be judged based on submittals prior to the contest and awarded to the winning school at the competition site. If there are no designs submitted prior to the contest for a specific region, there will be no Best Design award.
3. For the northeast PA and western PA competitions sites ONLY; high schools will be permitted to send two teams of up to 5 IED/POE students to the competition site. Exception: if your school is on a block schedule, students that have just completed IED and/or POE will be permitted to compete. It is not required that a Design be submitted for these teams to compete. Why? We have fewer schools in these areas and this will allow a full complement of competing teams. This does NOT apply to the competition to be held at Goggleworks.
4. High schools may only send a team to one competition site. Example: Your high school cannot send a team to Gogglework and to the northeast PA Challenge.
5. Penn State reserves the right to cancel any of the competitions if there are not sufficient teams to hold a competitive Challenge.