Got the After Christmas Blahs? Here's a Project for You!

You've attended all the parties. Eaten all the meals. Opened all the gifts. You are already bored with your Furby. So now what?

Why don't you build a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV)? How about one that you can operate underwater? Take a look at this video that shows how OpenROV will soon make that a possibility.

Want a Sneak Peek at Next Year's Game Teaser?

Those of you who were at South's BEST already saw it! But Jubilee BEST (Mobile, AL), which is designing the 2013 game, has posted the teaser on their website. We have been unable to embed it here, but you may follow this link to Jubilee BEST's site to check it out!

Need Help Wrapping Gifts? Robots to the Rescue!

Are you one of those people who hates wrapping gifts? Or perhaps you are just short on time and need a little help? Perhaps this promo from GM will inspire you to program a robot to take care of your gift wrapping duties. Now if it would only do the shopping for us...

Think Glass is Boring? Think Again.

While this video is not directly related to robotics, the people who will design and build items like these will need the same type of skills that are learned through BEST Robotics.


So you think this is too futuristic and unreal? Ask your parents or grandparents about how futuristic the technology we have today would have seemed when they were in high school.

Kit Survey Available

Students, teachers and mentors who participated in Warp XX are asked to complete a brief survey regarding your kit for the 2012 game. This is not the same survey that asked you which parts you used and did not use. The survey may be accessed here. 

Please be sure to select Northeast Alabama BEST as your hub and complete this survey for the folks at BEST Robotics, Inc.

2012 Game Survey Available

Did you participate in Warp XX as a student, teacher, or mentor? If so, please share your thoughts about the game with BEST Robotics, Inc. officials by participating in an online survey. The survey is located here.

Your input is welcomed and appreciated.

iRobot 110 Recon Robot

The iRobot 110 Recon robot was recently named in the Best of What's New: 2012 by Popular Science. Do you think that the skills learned in BEST Robotics would be helpful in working for a company like iRobot to build robots or to drive robots for a military, intelligence, or law enforcement agency?

See the iRobot 110 in action here.

Sand Flea Jumping Robot

Popular Science magazine recently announced their Best of What's New Award winners. Topping the list of security products is the Sand Flea, a jumping robot built by Boston Dynamics. Check out this video to see what the Sand Flea can do.



 Be sure to check out the Boston Dynamics website to see a world of innovative robotic products!

Article About South's BEST Robot Competition Winner

Click this link to view an article about St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Tillman's Corner, AL (Jubilee BEST). This middle school team won first place in the robot competition in South's BEST.

Congratulations to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School and kudos to AL.com and The Press-Register for highlighting BEST Robotics in this way!

South's BEST Photos Posted

Photos from South's BEST have been posted to Northeast Alabama BEST's Flickr site. We have also added a Flickr slide show to our Photos page.

South's BEST Results

What a great weekend! The 2012 BEST Robotics season is officially over with the conclusion of South's BEST last evening. We are so proud of our Northeast Alabama BEST hub teams! They represented our area with class, dignity, and style.

In the seeding rounds, Marshall Technical School finished 10th, securing a spot in the semi-finals. Fyffe High School finished a very respectable 28th (out of 57). Due to the quality of their engineering notebook, Fyffe competed in the wild card round in which the 8 teams with the best engineering notebooks (that had not already advanced to the semi-finals) competed for two spots in the semi-finals. While Fyffe was not one of the teams that advanced to the semi-finals, they should be congratulated for a strong showing in their first South's BEST competition.

The top four teams in the semi-finals advance to the finals. Unfortunately, Marshall Technical School did not finish in the top four, but did take top honors for Most Robust Robot, meaning that of all 57 teams in the competition, their robot was selected as the one that was most dependable and trouble-free.

Here is the complete listing of awards:

BEST Award

• 1^st Place:  Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy (Wolverine BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Holy Cross (NOLA BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Decatur Austin Robotics Coalition (Tennessee Valley BEST)

 Robotics

• 1^st Place:  St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (Jubilee BEST)   
•  2^nd Place: Holy Cross (NOLA BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Spain Park High School (Blazer BEST)
• Finalist:  Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Tech. (Georgia BEST)

 Middle School Awards

• BEST Award – Seaside Neighborhood Middle School (Emerald Coast BEST)
• Robotics – St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (Jubilee BEST)

Project Engineering Notebook

• 1^st Place:  Faith Academy (Jubilee BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Wicksburg High School (Wiregrass BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Louis P. Slade Middle School (Connecticut BEST)

Marketing Presentation

• 1^st Place:  Spain Park High School (Blazer BEST)
• 2^nd Place: W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy (Wolverine BEST)

 Team Exhibit and Interview

• 1^st Place:  Holy Cross (NOLA BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy (Wolverine BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Spain Park High School (Blazer BEST)

 Spirit and Sportsmanship

• 1^st Place:  Wetumpka High School (War Eagle BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Merrol Hyde Magnet School (Music City BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Oak Mountain High School (Blazer BEST)

Team Exhibit Design and Construction Award

• 1^st Place:  North Cobb Christian School (Georgia BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Millsaps (Mississippi BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Central Magnet School (Music City BEST)

 Founders Award for Creative Design

• 1^st Place:  Decatur Austin Robotics Coalition (Tennessee Valley BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Allen Thornton Career Technical Center (Northwest AL BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy (Wolverine BEST)

 Most Elegant Robot

• 1^st Place:  Spain Park High School (Blazer BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Holy Cross (NOLA BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Central Magnet School (Music City BEST)

 Most Robust Robot

• 1^st Place:  Marshall Technical School (Northeast AL BEST) 
• 2^nd Place: Hope Academy (Central AL BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Spain Park High School (Blazer BEST)

Most Photogenic Robot

• 1^st Place:  Louis P. Slade Middle School (Connecticut BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Allen Thornton Career Technical Center (Northwest AL BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  LeCroy STEM Academy (Blazer BEST)

Team Video

• 1^st Place:  Seaside Neighborhood Middle School (Emerald Coast BEST)
• 2^nd Place: W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Merrol Hyde Magnet School (Music City BEST)

 SolidWorks CAD Design Award

• 1^st Place:  W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Tuscaloosa Christian School (Shelton State BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Athens Bible School (Tennessee Valley BEST)

 Web page Design

• 1^st Place:  Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Tech. (Georgia BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Athens Bible School (Tennessee Valley BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Miss Porters School (Connecticut BEST)

 Game T-shirt Design

• 1^st Place:  St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (Jubilee BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School (War Eagle BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Saint James School (War Eagle BEST)

 Best Team Mascot

• 1^st Place:  Keith Middle/High School (Selma BEST)
• 2^nd Place: Holly Pond High School (North AL BEST)
• 3^rd Place:  Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy (Wolverine BEST)

 igus Top Gun Award (scored most points in a single round of competition)

• Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology (Georgia BEST)

Briggs and Stratton South’s BEST Teacher of the Year

• Susan Haddock – Austin High School (Tennessee Valley BEST)
• Virginia Vilardi – Wetumpka High School (War Eagle BEST)
• Wilma Whateley – Holly Pond High School (North AL BEST)

 Jim Westmoreland Memorial Judges Award

• Gary West (Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, AL)
• Dr. Bob Ashurst (Dept. Chemical Engineering, Auburn University)

 South’s BEST Volunteer of the Year

• Bryan McMeen (AFLAC)
• Vaughn Nichols  (Gulf Coast Power)

 Congratulations to all who competed at South's BEST!