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'''Welcome to STEMRobotics!'''

We are a non-profit group that is bringing '''S'''cience '''T'''echnology '''E'''ngineering and '''M'''athematics ('''STEM''') to students using competition robotics.

Driving the robots in Competitions is a small part of what we do. From the beginning we teach each roboteer valuable life skills like communications, planning, getting a group consensus, cooperation and negotiations. We also bring to life STEM skills in areas of electronics, mechanics, pneumatics, programming by planning, designing, building (and sometimes rebuilding), testing and driving our robots.

{{HotTopic}}
== Steve's Email Blast ==

http://www.roboticseducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/VIQ-IQ-Clawbot-13July301.png

Steve is focusing on VEX IQ [[http://www.roboticseducation.org/vex-iq-challenge/]] these days. He continues to help parents and educators (and other volunteers) run VEX IQ events. If you can provide a location to hold an event, Steve will generally be available to bring at least one official VEX IQ competition field, a computer to run the software, and the knowledge to help you do the rest.

If you'd like to help our region (metro Philadelphia) have the best young robotics kids in the world, and are willing to be part of making that happen; email Steve at Steve.Rhoads at STEMRobotics dot org.

== PSU Scrimmage ==

We had a 21 robots at the [[Penn State Abington VEX Clean Sweep Scrimmage]], played 23 matches, saw some amazing play and ate 50 pizzas, 6 dozen cookies and 10 dozen doughnuts.

We also had an amazing team of Combat Coders help everyone at the event with their RobotC programming: Mike Long, Taylor Gore, Sadat Shaik, and Shashank Bhargava. These young men tackled every robot brought their way.

Here is a link to pictures taken at the event:
	
PennState.2009.12.05
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=steve.rhoads&target=ALBUM&id=5412216148305104689&authkey=Gv1sRgCPbCqZnkt4GOwAE&invite=CLjaqcsB&feat=email

== Combat Coding ==
Wednesday (Nov 18, 2009), we met again.

This time, Foster had the programming team working on mechanical construction with their respective teams, BUT Taylor Gore took a moment off building to demonstrate some solid Combat Coding! He programmed a holonomic drive for another team (?Team 84?). He made sure that he enabled the Y-Axis of both joysticks plus the buttons on the back of the transmitter all worked together to strafe, drive forward, rotate and back up. 

Very impressive! Good job, Taylor!

Previous [[Combat Coding]] demonstrations!

== Low-Cost FIELD! ==

Note the field in the picture above! I built that field using the [http://www.vexrobotics.com/docs/vex-robotics-competition-field/low-cost-perimeter-rev-c.20090427.pdf Vex Robotics site instructions] and PVC.
 

There is NO REASON for every club/team not to have a field! It was easy to put together, and the cost was nominal (at most ~ $100. I think that my costs were closer to about $75.00) The result is very lightweight, yet sturdy, and transportable! Join us at one of our throw-downs and take a look.

== Workshops ==
Looking for a location sponsor. Can you host these workshops?

We will be working through the Yolande Petersen Guides below in Resources. Our primary resource is ''VEX for the Technically Challenged''.

See [[Mentor Workshop]] for a week by week description on what is planned.

== Events: Throw-downs, Workshops and Competitions! ==

The [[STEMRobotics:Current_events | Current Events list]]!!  Don't miss the [[Summer of Fun 2009]]

Some of our past events have been:

;Radcorp Summer of Fun 2007: We held a number of robot build nights and some competitions.

;[[Summer of Fun 2008]]: More events and more competitions!

== STEM Sites ==
We are setting up [[STEM Sites]] has incubators for robotics teams.  Click the link to learn more.

== Resources ==
[[Image:VexRoboticsCompetitionLogo.png]]

[[Media:Steps_to_starting_a_VEX_robotics_program.pdf]] -- CMU's guide to Starting a Vex Robotics Program.

[[Media:VEX Robots for Beginners.pdf]] -- a guide to building VEX robots

[[Media:VEX for the Technically Challenged.pdf]] -- a detailed guide on building VEX robots, we use this for the Mentor's class.

[[Media:Robot Recipes.pdf]] -- a collection of cool VEX robots that you can build

[[Media:Clueless Coach.pdf]] -- timeless tips and ideas on how to be a competition robotics coach

Carnegie-Mellon's Summer Programs for Educators: http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/content/educators/professional_dev/index.htm

[[VEX Programming]] Information about the VEX Programming environments

[http://content.vexrobotics.com/docs/Cortex_UserGuide_1010.pdf  The latest Cortex User's Guide, it has all of the color codes for the status lights]

== Mid-Atlantic VEX Partner ==
STEMRobotics is one of the groups that make up the VEX Partners in the Mid-Atlantic area.  Teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virgina work together sharing ideas and resources.  The [[Mid-Atlantic VEX Partners]] also coordinate events and workshops.

== Sponsors ==
'''STEMRobotics is sponsored by:'''
 

[[Image:Kaloke logo.gif]]
::''[http://www.kaloke.com Kaloke Technologies]'' is an inital sponsor of our events.
  

[[Image:radcorp_sm.png]]
::''[http://www.radcorp.com RADCorp]'' is another of our inital sponsors.
 

[http://www.techentourage.com Techentourage] is a new sponsor for 2009 and 2010.  

If you would like to sponsor competition robotics and getting '''STEM''' education to middle and high school students please contact us!