2017 Challenge Scenario

The Amazing Volcano Research Activity

2017 Scenario

Volcanoes are hot, sticky, dangerous, beautiful places. Researchers can use robots to be able to monitor volcanoes, gathering data without putting humans in harm’s way.

This year we will be building remotely-controlled robots. We will pretend that they can traverse rugged mountainous terrain and launch probes deep into volcanic craters.

Each Amazing Robot must pass Proving Stations where their abilities to move, to monitor, to work as a teammate, and to launch a probe are displayed. Then, when ready, each bot will work with a teammate to ascend to the volcanic plateau via a tricky mountain slope, then launch a probe into the volcano’s crater.

Robot operators will perform these task from a remote location, relying on wireless communication with the bot and remote video feeds from cameras on the bots (and in the sky!)