Balloon Pop Challenge

Balloon Pop Challenge

The goal of this activity is to bring everything together that we have learned up until this point in camp. This final event will involve building a robot to pop balloons of other robots in the arena. The goal of each robot is to develop and program a robot that will pop all of the balloons on their opponents robot before it happens to them. Students may use an autonomous robot that competes entirely on its own, but they may also create a robot that can be controlled through the use of another brick or app.

You will need this app to control your robot

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/downloads/robot-commander-app


Objectives:

  1. To develop the skills to design and build a robot that can maneuver in an arena
  2. To create code that will allow the robot to pop balloons.
  3. To explore Bluetooth technology to operate a robot

Materials

LEGO EV3 Mindstorms kit

Use up to three motors from the kit

Time Allotted

180 minutes depending on prior knowledge of students and how advanced you want to take the activity (see rubric)

Rules

  1. Teams may have an autonomous robot, one controlled with another EV3 brick, or the use of an app(we cannot provide devices for apps)
  2. Each robot will have three balloons attached. Each balloon must be accessible for the opposing team to pop. Balloons may not be any higher than 12 inches off the ground. Judges will determine if balloon placement is acceptable or not.

Competitions


Man Vs. Man

1. Each student/pair will design and build a robot for the jousting arena. We will use two FLL mats taped together. Each robot will face each other at both sides of the mat for head to head action.

2. A balloon will be placed on the robot but must be under 12 inches from the ground. The robot that pops the other balloon will be declared the winner. If neither side pops the balloon it will be declared a draw. Coaches will approve the placement of the balloon.

3. Each battle or round will last 90 seconds. The first robot to pop the balloon of their opponent wins that battle. If not all balloons are not popped after 90 seconds then we move to sudden death. After one minute of sudden death with no conclusion the battle ends in a tie and coin toss will determine the winner.

4. After a battle teams will have a minimum of five minutes to make preparations for next round.

5. If a robot falls over or gets stuck for at least 10 seconds, then the judge will move both robots back to the starting blocks.


Team Battle

1. Two or three teams will join forces depending on the size of the camp. They will together to form an alliance to defeat the other side.

2. A balloon will be placed on the robot but must be under 12 inches from the ground. The robot that pops the other balloon will be declared the winner. If neither side pops the balloon it will be declared a draw. Coaches will approve the placement of the balloon.

3. Each battle or round will last 90 seconds. The first robot to pop the balloon of their opponent wins that battle. If not all balloons are not popped after 90 seconds then the side with most balloons popped wins. In the event of a draw, then we move to sudden death. After one minute of sudden death with no conclusion the battle ends in a tie and coin toss will determine the winner.

4. After a battle teams will have a minimum of five minutes to make preparations for next round.

5. If a robot falls over or gets stuck for at least 10 seconds, then the judge will move both robots back to the starting blocks.

Battle Royale

1. Every robot for themselves will enter the final arena.

2. Last robot standing wins.

3. Once your robot has their balloon popped a coach will remove the robot from the arena.

Balloon Pop Challenge Rubric


Platinum

Only the final man/woman standing is declared Platinum status.