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Improve Your Build

Refer to the Speedbot with your newly designed attachment, and answer the following questions in your engineering notebook.

  1. The aim of Robosoccer is to score as many points as you can while defending your goal. How does the attachment you designed help your Speedbot victoriously meet those goals? What changes to the design could make it better?

  2. Maneuvering the ball successfully is necessary in the game. How does your attachment aid the Speedbot in ball control? How could you adapt your attachment to better maneuver the ball on the field?

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  1. Answers will vary and students should look back on the ideas for improvement that they had at the end of the Designing to Dribble activity. The students should note that the attachment should help keep the ball in control so they are able to score as well as be able to stop the opposing robot score against them without hindering the maneuverability of the robot. Students should make note of the attachment's size, weight, and functionality when describing it and how to improve it. For example, the attachment wouldn't function well if it was too heavy and made it difficult to drive the robot.

  2. Answers will vary, but the students should describe how their attachment is used to maneuver the ball across the field and into the goal. Students should note how their attachments could be improved (size, design, placement on the Speedbot).

Try some adaptations to your attachment and then test them.

  1. Do you think that your design changes improved the chances of the Speedbot scoring or defending its goal area on the field? Describe the steps you took to reach final design that you will use in the challenge.

  2. How did design changes affect the overall performance of the robot?

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  • Students should be able to describe the changes they made and how their test results determined how they developed the attachment into its final form.

  • Students should be able to describe the performance of the robot in relation to the game they will be playing.

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  • Decide whether every student will continue to refine their attachment to compete in Robosoccer or if you want teams to choose the top one or two designs to compete.

  • Encourage idle students who report that they are ready to play Robosoccer to help others who may be struggling to improve their designs.