Mentor demonstrating the VEX robot intake mechanism
Team members work with the VEX robot’s roller.
VEX Robotics is a set of programs allowing students to engage in activities relating to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The VEX Robotics Competition is the primary method VEX utilizes to promote STEM.
VEX Robotics Design System
The VEX Robotics Design System is a robot kit specifically designed by VEX for use in its activities. The design system contains various standardized parts, ranging from pre-perforated steel and aluminum to standardized line trackers and color sensors. Additional parts, such as motors, extra metal, gears, and sensors, can be purchased individually.
VEX Robotics Competition
The VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) is a international robotics competition for middle school and high school students, where teams strive to create a functional robot that efficiently performs a challenge while competing against the opposing team. A new challenge is revealed every year. Teams in VRC utilize the parts in the VEX Robotics Design System to design and build their robot. Robots built are usually 18″ by 18″ by 18″ in dimensions and usually 5–15 lbs in weight. In addition, the playing field for the competition is usually a 12′ by 12′ square field.
Growth
The VEX Robotics Competition is currently one of the largest and fastest growing robotics competitions globally, with more than 3,500 teams from 20 countries playing in over 250 tournaments worldwide.