ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

 Exposure to different competitions around the world not only enables us to explore our potential but also expands our horizon of knowledge. I have had many opportunities to test my passion in robotics through various intra- and interschool robotics competitions. There are several competitions conducted globally at multiple levels, as listed below.

I) BEGINNER LEVEL:

1) WORLD ROBOT OLYMPIAD:  

 

The first international world robot olympiad was held in 2004 in Singapore. It uses LEGO Mindstorms manufactured by LEGO Education. It consists of 4 categories, such as ROBOMISSION, ROBOSPORTS, FUTURE INNOVATORS, AND FUTURE ENGINEERS. The competition is held for Elementary, Junior High, and Senior High levels (8-19 years). Official programming languages are C++, Java, and Python.

2) THE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE CHALLENGE: It is an international competition held globally and is organised by FIRST for elementary and middle school students aged 9-14 years. 

The students work as teams and are provided with a KIT called "Challenge set" which includes LEGO electronic and mechanical components and instructions for building a robot. The robot has two and a half minutes to complete the mission called " Robot game." Officially registered teams can also be nominated for the Global Innovation Award. Official programming languages include Scratch-based block coding and Python.

3) BOTBALL: It is an educational Robotics program that focuses on engaging middle and high school students in team-oriented robotics competitions.

 It is known for the sophistication and complexity of its robotics competition. The robots are autonomous and are not directed by any remote control. Students program the robots to recognize the challenges and attempt the objectives of the competition. The official languages used are C++, Java, and Python.

II) INTERMEDIATE LEVEL : 

1) VEX ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS: It is a popular and the most extensive robotics program, ranging from elementary school level through university. It is managed by the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation. ( RECF) . The two leagues designed for middle and high school students are :

a) VEX  V5 ROBOTICS COMPETITION: It is a metal-based robotic platform. The robot is controlled by the VEX V5 brain. Scratch-based block coding is the official programming language.

b) VEX IQ ROBOTICS COMPETITION: It is designed for elementary and middle school students. The exciting challenges enhance their STEM skills through hands-on, student-centered learning. Their current competition, Mix and Match, is a 2-robot game played in a 6ft * 8ft rectangular field, with each robot competing for 1 minute.  The programming language used is VEX code IQ, which offers both block-based coding and text-based coding options.

2) FIRST TECH CHALLENGE: It is a competition for students in grades 7-12. They work in teams to design, build, and program a robot to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robot kit is Android-based. It is programmed using the Block programming interface and Java. The team has to develop a strategy and build robots based on innovative engineering principles with the help of their mentors. Teams design and build robots using a reusable kit of parts and compete with a standard set of game rules to play an exciting field game and compete in the specific season challenge.

3) ROBOCUP JUNIOR: One of the most prestigious competitions in robotics and artificial Intelligence. It is an educational Robotics program and competition for middle and high school students. 

     Three Main Leagues :

a) Soccer: Autonomous robots compete in a dynamic soccer-like environment.

b) Rescue: Robots navigate a simulated disaster scenario, identifying and rescuing victims.

c) On Stage: Robots are choreographed with music and costumes, showcasing creativity and performance.

Official languages used are C++ and Python.  

III) ADVANCED LEVEL :

 1) THE FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION: One of the most prestigious robotics competitions for International high school students. Every year, teams comprising high school students, along with their mentors and coaches, build robots. These robots complete game-specific tasks, such as scoring balls into goals, hanging on bars, placing objects in predetermined locations, and balancing robots on various field elements. Each team is given a standard set of parts required to build robots and is allowed to purchase additional specialized components.  

The culture followed by FIRST is "Coopertition," which emphasizes that teams can compete and cooperate at the same time. FIRST LEGO LEAGUE  is a competition for elementary and middle school students. FIRST TECH CHALLENGE is a competition for high school students.

The winning teams from each of these tournaments join the Global competition at the FIRST Championship.

2) BEST ROBOTIC COMPETITION: BEST ( Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) is a six-week robotics competition in the US held each fall. 

It is held for middle and high school students. This has an interesting thought behind its origin. Way back in 1993, when two Texas Instruments engineers, Ted and Steve, along with a group of high school students, were watching a video of freshmen building a robot at MIT, the students said to them, "Why don't we do this?" Thus, BEST was born. The first competition was held in 1993. Several games were conducted, such as Incision Decision, Off the Grid, BUGS, Crossfire, and 3D printing.

3) DARPA  ROBOTICS CHALLENGE: It is one of the most interesting and challenging robotics competitions. It was funded by the U.S Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

It aimed to develop semiautonomous ground robots that could perform complex tasks in dangerous, degraded human-engineered environments. The challenge focuses on disaster or emergency response scenarios. The initial task requirements are :

a)  Drive a utility vehicle at the site.

b) Travel dismounted across rubble.

c) Remove debris blocking an entryway.

d) Open a door and enter a building 

e) Climb an industrial ladder

f) Use a tool to break through a concrete panel.

g) Locate and close a valve near a leaking pipe.

h) Connect a fire hose to a pipe and turn on a valve.  

The winners will be eligible for funding. 

The programming languages are C++, Java , Python, and MATLAB.

MATLAB is used for simulation and DATA analysis.

So what are you waiting for !!!! Grab the opportunity and watch out for these competitions and unleash your inner potential .

See you all in the next blog... until then , stay curious and keep Roboting!!!

BREATHE SAFE WITH VOCTRACKER:MY SOCIAL VENTURE PROJECT

 Breathe Safe: How I Built a Device to Protect You from Hidden Car Air Toxins

We’ve all been there—stepping into a car that’s been baking under the hot summer sun. The blast of trapped, heavy air hits you first, followed by the discomfort: a mild headache, maybe a wave of nausea, or just that suffocating feeling that makes you want to roll down the windows immediately.

Growing up, I often noticed my parents’ ritual: before we got into the car, they would roll down all the windows, turn on the AC full blast, and wait a while before letting us sit inside. It was their way of “making the air breathable.” But later, when I often took cabs for commuting, I realized I didn’t have this luxury. I had to get in immediately, breathing that same heavy, stale, and oddly smelly air—often ending the trip feeling sick.

I started wondering: What exactly is in that air that makes us feel so unwell?

Discovering the Invisible Danger

My research led me to something both fascinating and alarming—VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds. These are gases emitted from everyday materials, and in cars, they come from plastics, upholstery, adhesives, and foams. Common VOCs found in vehicles include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, styrene, and xylene.

In a sealed and sun-heated car, VOC concentrations can spike dramatically. The short-term effects? Headaches, dizziness, nausea, and skin irritation. Long-term exposure is far more serious—respiratory problems, hormonal disruptions, reproductive issues, and even damage to vital organs.

That was my “aha” moment. I realized if we could detect these harmful compounds in real time, passengers could take immediate action—like ventilating the car—before the air became dangerous.

Building VOCTracker: My Solution

I began working on VOCTracker, a portable, real-time VOC detection device designed specifically for cars. The goal was simple: monitor VOC levels, alert the user instantly, and help them stay safe.

The core of the system is the SGP40 gas sensor, chosen for its accuracy in measuring total VOC levels with built-in humidity and temperature compensation. This sensor feeds data to an ESP32D microcontroller, which processes the readings and communicates with a user-friendly interface via Wi-Fi.

The working of the system:

Power Supply: A safe 12V DC adapter designed for in-car use powers the device.

Sensor Data: The SGP40 detects harmful compounds like benzene, toluene, and xylene.

Data Processing: The ESP32D interprets the readings and determines if VOC levels are within safe limits.

Real-Time Alerts: Through the BLYNK app or website, the passenger gets instant notifications if VOC levels are high.

This way, the passenger can take timely precautions—like opening windows or stepping out—before the air quality affects their health.

The Challenges Behind the Build

The process was anything but smooth. Procuring the right components took time and effort. Wiring so many modules together often led to short circuits, which I had to carefully troubleshoot. Coding the device in Arduino IDE required multiple rounds of rectification, especially to ensure every component communicated on the right port.

Soldering was another hurdle—I was a complete novice. Thankfully, a family friend guided me through it, and I learned a skill I can now proudly call my own.

The Proud Moment

After countless trials, I had a working prototype. Seeing the device accurately read VOC levels and send alerts in real time was incredibly rewarding. It wasn’t just about the electronics—it was about building something that could make a real difference to people’s health and safety.

What’s Next for VOCTracker

This is only the beginning. My next step is to integrate safety recommendations directly into the app. For example, if the VOC level is moderately high, the app could suggest opening windows. If it’s dangerously high, it could advise leaving the vehicle altogether.

I also want to scale production to make VOCTracker cost-effective and accessible to the general public. Education will be key—I plan to use my blog and live demonstrations to show people exactly why monitoring car air quality matters and how VOCTracker works.

Why This Matters

We spend hours in our cars every week, often with the windows rolled up and the AC running. Without realizing it, we may be breathing in harmful compounds that could affect our health over time. VOCTracker is my attempt to make that invisible threat visible—and prevent it from harming people in the first place.

Because clean air should never be a luxury—it should be something every passenger can count on.

See you in the next blog....until then, stay curious and keep roboting.

SWARM ROBOTICS : INDEPENDENT ROBOTS UNITED BY TEAMWORK.

 Let's go back to the fascinating world of Sleeping Beauty, where the Seven Dwarfs worked as a team to accomplish incredible feats. Similarly, in the world of technology, hundreds of tiny robots work collaboratively in various fields today.

BIOLOGICAL ANALOGY: My passion and comfort with teamwork led me to the concept of Swarm Robotics. As a nature lover since childhood, I have always been in awe of the diligent and mammoth efforts put in by the ants, fish, and birds to carry out their daily tasks as a team, be it for building anthills, collecting food, or migration. Each individual acts based on local information and simple rules, yet contributes to complex group behaviour. So this swarm behaviour in nature has inspired the development of Swarm Robotics.

WHAT IS SWARM ROBOTICS?

It is the study of  how to design an independent system of robots without centralized control,

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• COMMUNICATION: The robots use Bluetooth, wireless LAN, infrared, and Radio to share information and communicate. swarmbot.org
• SENSORS: Robots use algorithms and sensors such as cameras and proximity detectors to perform tasks such as navigation, obstacle detection, collision avoidance, and proximity measurements.hokuyo.usa.com
• COORDINATION: The robots working as a team use multiple approaches, such as the behavioral approach, the leader following approach, and the fuzzy logic approach to coordinate their actions.sciencedirect.com

KEY FEATURES: 

       

• DECENTRALIZATION: Every individual robot is autonomous and follows simple rules based on local information. There is NO central control unit.
• SCALABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY: The swarms can scale their operations by working with any number of robots from a few to hundreds or even thousands. This scalability merges with flexibility to perform various tasks.
• ROBUSTNESS: Even if one robot fails, the entire system still continues to function effectively despite challenges.

REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS : 

      

• DETECTION AND SURVEILLANCE: Multiple robots can cover large areas without blind spots. With the advanced technology, they can detect and respond to intrusions and threats by quickly analyzing them.kash video blocks
• 
  AGRICULTURE: Robots can monitor crop health, soil conditions, and pest infestation, which can help farmers make decisions.VentureX-Future Tech 
  
  
  
• SEARCH AND RESCUE: Robots can reach disaster sites, search every corner and depth for people.Fields institute 
  
  
  
• ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING: Robots monitor pollution levels, study the impact of natural disasters, track wildlife, and give valuable data for conservation. Futuristic Tech and AI 
  
  
  
• SPACE EXPLORATION: Robots assist in constructing lunar and Martian habitats, creating landing spots, research stations, and shelters using local materials to minimize Earth deliveries. 
  
  
  

LIMITATIONS : 

• COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES: In environments such as dense forests, robots have limited communication capabilities, which compromises coordination and performance.
• SCALABILITY ISSUES: As the number of robots increases, coordinating action becomes more complex, thereby hindering the efficiency of a large swarm.
• ENERGY CONSTRAINTS: Limited battery life poses a challenge for long-duration missions. There should be effective energy management strategies.
• ETHICAL AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: When swarm robots make decisions autonomously, it raises questions about accountability. Job displacement is a big concern. Misuse of the technology in the SECURITY AND MILITARY fields will lead to major disasters.
• SECURITY AND PRIVACY CONCERNS: Robots are prone to cyber attacks, including hacking. During surveillance or sensitive data applications, hacking can lead to misuse and a lack of privacy.

   

Swarm Robotics is a rapidly evolving field with the potential to contribute significantly to various industries. By addressing its limitations through continued research and development, there is a high scope for realizing the full potential of this technology.

See you in the next blog .....until then, stay curious and keep roboting.