Local students can build their own robot in Lipscomb-sponsored BEST program

 | 08/31/2006

Lipscomb University will host the kick off for the Music City BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) robotics competition from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 9, in Allen Arena. Participation in the event is free and open to all Tennessee and Kentucky high schools.

The theme for this year’s game will be “Laundry Quandary,” but the details of the robotic challenge, game field and rules will remain a secret until all teams gather to pick up their competition packets on the Lipscomb campus. One team per school can participate in the competition.

The robotics competition challenges each high school team to design and build a radio-controlled machine to accomplish certain tasks in a game-type setting.  On Sept. 9 teams will pick up their identical kits which include motors, batteries and raw materials. The robots must ready by Oct. 21, when all teams will meet at Allen Arena to pit their creations against each other to complete the designated series of tasks.

BEST, a nonprofit volunteer-based organization, hosts an annual six-week competition designed for middle and high school students to encourage them to pursue careers in engineering, science and technology. Lipscomb University’s Raymond B. Jones School of Engineering is sponsoring the local competition this fall, establishing the first “hub” for BEST in Tennessee.

The winners of the Music City BEST competition will go to Auburn University to compete in the southeastern regional competition. This is the first time BEST has been offered in TN or KY.  Teams are expected from Kentucky and throughout Tennessee.

Interested teams can contact Ben Hutchinson at 279-6042 to register for the competition.