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100 points - STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS VEX IQ Rapid Relay "Super-Swish" shooting Robot by Ben Lipper

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Adjusting rubberbands to control catapult 

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Adjusting rubberbands to control catapult 

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100 points - NEW VEX IQ Rapid Relay "Misfire" shooting Robot by Ben Lipper

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100 points - STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS VEX IQ Rapid Relay "Super-Swish" shooting Robot by Ben Lipper

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A drivetrain allows a robot to be mobile by using wheels, tank treads, or another method. A drivetrain is sometimes referred to as a drive base. Identifying which kind of drivetrain to use is one of the first considerations when designing a robot. The VEX IQ Clawbot drivetrain is fine for starting out, but additional drivetrain designs can allow the robot much more functionality, such as being able to move sideways in addition to turning and moving forward and backward. This type of movement is called omni-directional. Drivetrains may also be required to travel over obstacles. Robots which are being designed to play a game can gain a competitive advantage by selecting a drivetrain to match their game strategy.

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A drivetrain allows a robot to be mobile by using wheels, tank treads, or another method. A drivetrain is sometimes referred to as a drive base. Identifying which kind of drivetrain to use is one of the first considerations when designing a robot. The VEX IQ Clawbot drivetrain is fine for starting out, but additional drivetrain designs can allow the robot much more functionality, such as being able to move sideways in addition to turning and moving forward and backward. This type of movement is called omni-directional. Drivetrains may also be required to travel over obstacles. Robots which are being designed to play a game can gain a competitive advantage by selecting a drivetrain to match their game strategy.

Some Things to Consider when Selecting a Drivetrain for a Competition Robot

Are there obstacles on the playing field which need to be driven over or climbed up on? Tank Treads or larger diameter wheels can help with going over obstacles.

How much of an advantage is there for the drivetrain to be omni-directional?

Is the drivetrain going to be pushing multiple/heavy game pieces, or does it need to be fast? The maximum speed or torque produced by a drivetrain can be adjusted by changing to a different gear ratio and/or by changing the diameter of the wheels.

How high and how far out will the robot design be able to reach? Robots which reach high and/or reach out, benefit from a larger drivetrain footprint and a lower center of gravity. Small diameter wheels can help with both.

How many motors are going to be needed for functions other than the drivetrain? Some game rules limit the number of motors on a robot.

These considerations are examples of the analysis which should be used when selecting a drivetrain for a classroom game robot or a VEX IQ Challenge robot.

Descriptions of Some Types of Drivetrains

Standard Drive

Standard Drive Base

H Drive

H Drive

Holonomic

The Holonomic Drivetrain is omni-directional. This design can be assembled with either three 200mm Travel Omni-Directional Wheels and three Smart Motors or four 200mm Omni-Directional Wheels and four Smart Motors.

The three Omni-Directional Wheels and three drive motors version is assembled with the wheels set at 120 degrees to each other. The Kiwi drive build instructions feature this type of drive.

The four Omni-Directional Wheels and four motors version can be assembled by either angling the wheels at each of the corners (sometimes called an X drive) or placing the drive wheels at the center of each side of the drive base.

These Holonomic Drivetrains require a more complex programming code for their motion than the Standard Drive. The 3 wheel drivetrain is not as stable as the 4 wheel drivetrains.

Kiwi Drive

X Drive

Track Drive

Track Drive

Comparison of Some Types of Drivetrains

Safety Hazard:

Pinch Points

Slowly move wheels, sprockets, and gears to ensure there are no wires, tubing, elastic materials, or hardware which will be caught by the motion, before powering up the robot.

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Welcome to the VEX Library, a library of information about all things VEX.

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Rapid Relay Robot RI2D!!! | VEX IQ driver skills 98 points

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Coming June 2024

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VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot Inspection Checklist

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The robot inspection checklist for the 2024-2025 VEX IQ Robotics Competition season will be released in June 2024, and will be posted here.

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VEX IQ Robotics Competition : Rapid Relay | 2024-2025 Game

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VEXiq Worlds - Rapid Relay Field Walkthrough

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To get started driving with the 2023-24 VIQRC Hero Bot, Byte, you will need to use a provided code for use with the Controller. The default drive program on the IQ Brain is not compatible with Byte.

Downloading the Controlling Byte Project

To use this code on Byte, select your coding method of choice (Blocks, Python, or C++) and download the VEXcode IQ project from the link below.

Using the Controlling Byte Project

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Welcome to the VEX Library, a library of information about all things VEX.

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The scoring objects in VEX IQ Robotics Competition Rapid Relay are padded Balls, approximately 6" in diameter.

The primary objectives of the game are to Pass the Balls between Robots, score Balls through Targets, and Clear Switches. Balls are introduced to the field through the Loading Station or, during the last 15 seconds of a Match, aRapid Load Zone.

Points are awarded based on how many Goals are Scored, how many Switches have been Cleared, and how many times the Alliance successfully Passed the Ball before scoring it.

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Blocks control project.

Coming soon

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Click here for online manual

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VEX IQ Robotics Competition Rapid Relay is played on a 6’ x 8’ rectangular field configured as seen above. Two robots compete in the Teamwork Challenge as an alliance in 60 second long teamwork matches, working collaboratively to score points.

Teams also compete in the Robot Skills Challenge where one robot takes the field to score as many points as possible. These matches consist of Driving Skills Matches, which will be entirely driver controlled, and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, which will be autonomous with limited human interaction.

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Welcome to the VEX Library, a library of information about all things VEX.

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Coming soon

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Updated Fully by mid-June??

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Game manuals contain game descriptions and scoring, robot rules, and tournament rules. Game manuals are updated throughout the game season. Monitor the VIQRC Rapid Relay Forum and the Official Rapid Relay Q&A (opens on May 14, 2024) to see updates as they're released.

Game Description

VEX IQ Robotics Competition Rapid Relay is played on a 6' x 8' rectangular field configured as seen below. Two robots compete in the Teamwork Challenge as an alliance in 60 second long teamwork matches, working collaboratively to score points.

Teams also compete in the Robot Skills Challenge where one robot takes the field to score as many points as possible. These matches consist of Driving Skills Matches, which will be entirely driver controlled, and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, which will be autonomous with limited human interaction.

Details

The scoring objects in VEX IQ Robotics Competition Rapid Relay are padded Balls, approximately 6" in diameter.

The primary objectives of the game are to Pass the Balls between Robots, score Balls through Targets, and Clear Switches. Balls are introduced to the field through the Loading Station or, during the last 15 seconds of a Match, a Rapid Load Zone.

Points are awarded based on how many Goals are Scored, how many Switches have been Cleared, and how many times the Alliance successfully Passed the Ball before scoring it.

Field

Scoring

1 point - Each Goal Scored

1 point - Each Cleared Switch

1 Point - Each Pass, 0 Cleared Switches

4 Points - Each Pass, 1 Cleared Switch

8 Points - Each Pass, 2 Cleared Switches

10 Points - Each Pass, 3 Cleared Switches

12 Points - Each Pass, 4 Cleared Switches

Downloads & Links

Game Manual

Rapid Relay Game Manual - PDF

Rapid Relay Game Manual - simple web page (coming soon!)

Rapid Relay Game Manual - Library version, with built-in translation (coming soon!)

How to Navigate a Game Manual

Rapid Relay Q&A

Quick Reference Guides

Rapid Relay Spectator Quick Reference Guide (coming soon!)

Rapid Relay One Pager (coming soon!)

Rapid Relay Field Tour Video (coming soon!)

Training Courses

Field Assembly

Robot Inspection & Legal/Illegal Parts

Rapid Relay Robot Inspection Checklist (coming soon!)

Rapid Relay Legal Parts Appendix (coming soon!)

Rapid Relay Illegal Parts Appendix (coming soon!)

Hero Robot for Rapid Relay

(requires the IQ 2nd generation Competition Kit)

Coming soon!

Rapid Relay Paper Scoresheets

Coming soon!

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Game Manual for VEX IQ Robotics Competition Teams

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Game manuals contain game descriptions and scoring, robot rules, and tournament rules. Game manuals are updated throughout the game season. Monitor the VIQRC Rapid Relay Forum and the Official Rapi...

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The Game:

VEX IQ Robotics Competition Full Volume is played on a 6' x 8' rectangular field configured as seen above. Two robots compete in the Teamwork Challenge as an alliance in 60 second long teamwork matches, working collaboratively to score points.

Teams also compete in the Robot Skills Challenge where one robot takes the field to score as many points as possible. These matches consist of Driving Skills Matches, which will be entirely driver controlled, and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, which will be autonomous with limited human interaction.

The Details:

The scoring objects in VEX IQ Robotics Competition Full Volume various sized 2 Blocks begin on the field in predetermined locations. The remaining 31 Blocks begin in the Blocks. There are a total of (73) Blocks on the field. 4 Supply Zone , where they will be randomly placed before each Match. Red Blocks begin on top of Starting Pegs.

The object of the game is to score as many points as possible with your alliance partner by scoring Blocks in Goals. Based on the contents of the Goal at the end of the Match, Alliances can also receive a Uniform Bonus and / or Height Bonus .

At the end of the Match, Robots can attempt to Park in the Supply Zone for additional points.

Download the VIQRC Hub App!

Each Block Scored in a Goal

1 Point

Each Uniform Goal

10 Points

Height Bonus

10 Points per Fill Level

Cleared Supply Zone

20 Points

Each Red Block Removed from Starting Peg

5 Points

Each Partially Parked Robot

5 Points

Each Fully Parked Robot

10 Points

Double Parked Bonus

10 Points

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Competition Overview - Competition - IQ - VEX Robotics

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See how to compete on a world stage where teams of students are tasked with designing and building a robot in a game-based engineering challenge

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Next, connect the Brain and check that its icon is green and the Download and other icons are white.

Then, select Download to download the project to the Brain's selected slot.

Note: The Download, Run, and Stop icons will be disabled until the download is complete.

Your project will show in the Programs menu on the Brain screen. A (1st generation) Brain is pictured on the left, and a (2nd generation) screen is pictured on the right.

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Welcome to the VEX Library, a library of information about all things VEX.

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Welcome to the VEX Library, a library of information about all things VEX.

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The engineering design process is a series of steps that engineers follow when they are trying to solve a problem and design a solution for something; it is a methodical approach to problem solving. There is no single universally accepted design process, and most engineers have their own twist for how the process works. The process generally starts with a problem and ends with a solution, but the middle steps can vary.

One common characteristic of most design processes is that they are iterative and designers may have to go back to previous steps in the process and/or repeat the entire process over and over again until they reach a minimally viable solution.

The engineering design process outlined in this article is not the only correct version of the process, it is just one example. It should provide a good starting point for students to explore the engineering process.

A very simple design process may only include 3 steps as shown below: Define, Develop Solutions, and Optimize (this illustration is available as a full-size poster at posters.vex.com if you want one for your classroom!).

Another design process example is Project Lead The Way's Gateway Design Process.

Steps of the Engineering Design Process

For this article, we'll consider a design process that matches what Judges look for when interviewing teams and reviewing their engineering notebooks at REC Foundation competitions.

Identify the Challenge & Set Goals

This is sometimes referred to as "Ask" or "Define." Identifying the challenge should always be the first step that is addressed in the design process.

For the first iteration of the design process, the team's notebook should include a very brief description of the overall game challenge and break it down into smaller challenges that must be accomplished for success. Best practice is to list questions that need to be answered through research or testing, for example:

What is the most effective strategy for playing the game?

What are the ways to score points?

How fast does the robot need to move?

How can the robot pick up the scoring objects?

How many scoring objects does the robot need to hold?

Through this process, teams should come up with a list of features they might want in their robot, and lists of the game's requirements and constraints. For instance, if a challenge requires a robot to stack objects as high as possible, the team might decide they want their robot to be tall. However, the game manual may have a constraint on how tall the robot can be at any given time. All of these criteria should be explored and understood before moving on to the brainstorming phase.

For later cycles of the design process, this step might be to identify something on the robot that isn't working as well as expected or needed and to describe what a good solution would include. For example, a challenge might be that "The robot arm needs to be able to reach higher to score the ball," and a goal to accomplish the challenge might be "The bottom of the claw has to be able able to reach up to 16" when holding a ball." Constraints for this challenge may overlap larger constraints from the game, for example, size and vertical expansion limits.

Brainstorm & Diagram

Good brainstorming starts with a shared understanding of the problem, including all requirements and constraints. Without understanding the problem, time may be wasted on irrelevant ideas that do not satisfy the basic problem at hand. During brainstorming, it's also important to avoid judging each other's ideas. This can stifle the creative process and discourage team members from participating.

If it becomes clear that members of the team do not fully understand the problem, the team should start over at the first step of the process (i.e., "Identify the problem" or "Ask").

During brainstorming, students may also want to investigate challenges from the real world that are similar to the one posed by the game. They can also look to see if any other robotics competitions have utilized similar challenges in the past. Brainstorming includes gathering data from other sources to help students create a successful solution.

Promising solutions should be documented in the team's notebook, including labeled drawings or pictures. If the team gets ideas from other sources, those sources should be clearly identified in the notebook.

Choose a Solution & Make a Plan

Once brainstorming has been completed and several ideas have been generated, teams should objectively evaluate each idea. The goal is to find the best solution for the team, regardless of the source. A table might help teams consider and compare the merits of each idea in relation to specific design desires and constraints. In the example below, each criteria is evaluated on a 0-5 point scale where 0 does not meet and 5 exceeds expectations. Because "Idea 4" has the highest overall score, it would be the objective choice.

The team should document this process in the notebook, and explain how and why they choose their solution. They should also fully describe the solution in their engineering notebook, including a plan for how they'll build it. For advanced teams, this plan may include creating CAD models or detailed assembly drawings.

Build & Program

This is where teams will spend most of their time, and when prototypes and final robots and programs are created. Builds-both for code and for robots-generally start off as basic designs and evolve as details are added in later cycles of the design process. Students should take detailed notes in their notebook while building & coding, recording what they see, trying to figure out why some things work better than others, and then creating additional prototypes or programs to test new ideas. Gathering data, and recording it in the notebook, is an important part of building and coding.

Test the Solution

During this step, students will test what they've built or programmed to see what works, what doesn't, and what can be improved. Testing procedures should be well-documented in the notebook, and should include all measurable results. The main goal of this step is to decide whether the build or code meets the challenge and performs as expected and needed.

Repeat the Design Process

What happens when something doesn't work in testing? Students analyze the problem to identify the new challenge it presents, and they start a new cycle of the design process!

Not all design process cycles will need all steps, and some may jump from step to step or repeat a step multiple times before moving on to the next one. Design teams shouldn't be afraid of going backwards in the design process. The ultimate goal is to create the best design possible by improving it over and over again. Design cycles will probably overlap, too, especially between robot subsystems and code. Teams should do their best to identify which design process step(s) they're working in as they make entries in the notebook.

So how does a team decide when their robot is done? Simple: the team needs to set a schedule, and then stick to it. This schedule will vary greatly from team to team depending on their circumstances. If a team has six weeks to design and build their robot before the first competition, they should come up with some sort of schedule for this time period. Some teams will plan out each and every step in their build process while others will just do a quick overview.

The schedule is not always set in stone; ultimately the only fixed dates are the project start date and the robot completion deadline (usually the date of a competition). Everything else is likely to shift as the process unfolds.

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The engineering design process is a series of steps that engineers follow when they are trying to solve a problem and design a solution for something; it is a methodical approach to problem solving...

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VEX game manuals present the rules for a game, the robots that will participate, and the events that teams will attend to play it. Game manuals are complex, but the Game Design Committee (GDC) creates and organizes them in ways specifically designed to help students, coaches, and volunteers find the information they need. This article highlights some of the organizing concepts of VEX game manuals, and may help you understand how to read and interpret the rules.

You can find the game manuals for the current season in the REC Library, in the VIQRC Hub & VRC Hub Apps, and on the VEX Robotics website.

Game Manual Versions

You should always make sure that you're using the most current version of the game manual. To check, find the version number (located in the footer of PDF versions and near the top of the page in HTML versions) and search for the keyword "Updates" to check the version number against the list of scheduled updates. The game manual pages in the REC Library always include links to the current game manual versions.

Game Manuals are Searchable

Game manuals, whether you're using the PDF or HTML version, are searchable. Answers to most common questions can be found by searching for keywords and concepts!

Linked Terms and Rules

Defined terms are capitalized and italicized when used in the game manual, and are generally linked to the term's definition. When a rule mentions other related rules, those rule numbers (for example, <G1>) also typically link to those rules.

Rule Structure

The contents of each rule are different, but the basic structure of each rule is the same. Additionally, in rules that are shared or similar across multiple rule sets, the GDC attempts to give those rules the same number in all rule sets. We've included a screenshot of a rule from the VRC game manual as a reference, and added numbers to indicate the parts of a rule that are described below.

1 - Rule Number

Rule numbers appear inside single-angle quotation marks. Each rule number begins with a letter or letters that identify the specific rule set (Safety, Scoring, etc.) and a reference number.

2 - Rule Name

Each rule has a name that describes its overall intent. Rule names are presented in bold text in the "featured" color of the rule set (blue for VIQRC, red for VRC, etc.).

3 - Rule Description

A rule will include one or more paragraphs that describe the details and requirements of that rule. Note that defined terms (Triball, Robot, etc.) are capitalized and italicized as previously described.

4 - Color Box

Color boxes (blue for VIQRC, red for VRC, etc.) are used to provide more information, examples, and/or clarification about the rule, in a less-formal and more conversational style.

5 - Violation Notes

When a rule has specific guidance for referees to use when teams break that rule, it will be included in red italicized text.

Sets of Rules

Rules are grouped into subsets based on their focus. Each set of rules uses a shared starting letter or string of letters. Some of the sets change with every new game, and others remain mostly consistent across the seasons.

Scoring Rules (SC)

These rules describe how robots can score points during a match, and how referees confirm and count points earned by the team. This set of rules changes for every new game.

Safety Rules (S)

These rules provide the safety requirements for robots and humans at competitions. This set of rules rarely changes.

General Rules (G)

These rules apply to matches and behaviors at events. This set of rules rarely changes.

Specific Game Rules (SG)

This set of rules described how the game is played, and how robots interact with the objects and elements on the field. This set of rules changes for every new game.

Robot Rules (R)

This set of rules provides constraints for robots that will play the game, including maximum size and legal parts. Most of these rules are consistent across seasons.

Tournament Rules (T)

This set of rules governs how competitions are run, and rarely change.

Robot Skills Competition (RSC)

These rules specify how the field setup, scoring, and game tasks are modified for Driver Skills and Autonomous Coding Skills matches. This set of rules may change for every new game.

Game Manual Sections

Each section in the game manual presents a different facet of the game rules, and most event volunteers will only need to fully understand a subset of sections.

Section 1: The Game

Students and referees must fully understand the rules in this section, which include scoring, safety, and rules for how the game is played.

Section 2: The Robot

Students, referees, coaches, and robot inspectors have to understand the rules in this section to ensure that robots at a competition meet the requirements (size, legal parts, etc.) of the game.

Section 3: The Event

Students, referees, coaches, and Event Partners are the primary audiences for this section of rules, which cover how a competition should be run and the responsibilities of the major volunteers.

Appendix A: Field Specifications

This appendix provides technical details about the game field and objects, and isn't "required reading" for any role. It can be very helpful to Event Partners.

Appendix B: Robot Skills

Students and referees must fully understand the rules in this section, which describes how robot skills matches are set up, run, and scored.

Additional Appendices in the VRC Game Manual

The VRC game manual may include additional appendices for the VEX U and VEX AI competitions. These appendices are required reading for students and referees who will participate in VEX U or VEX AI competitions.

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VEX game manuals present the rules for a game, the robots that will participate, and the events that teams will attend to play it. Game manuals are complex, but the Game Design Committee (GDC) crea...

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Simple Motorized Lift - Building Instructions

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When building a custom VEX IQ Robot, sometimes you just need more power. One easy way to do this is to add another motor. These two motors working together are known as a motor group.

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Introduction

The VEX IQ 2nd gen Competition Kit is a comprehensive collection of parts designed to facilitate advanced robotic design and problem-solving. The competition add-on provides additional components tailored for competitive environments.

The base VEX IQ 2nd gen Education Kit is comprehensive, but the competition add-on is designed for those seeking to engage in competitions. It offers enhancements for mechanical efficiency, sophisticated designs, and competitive advantages.

Categories of Parts and Their Applications

This section provides details on the exclusive components in the VEX IQ 2nd gen Competition Kit, which are absent in the Education Kit. For a complete list of the Competition Kit components, view this poster from the VEX Library. Note the Education Kit is the first page contents, and the second page is the Competition Add-On. Together, these two pages make up an entire Competition Kit.

This list presents the components exclusive to the Competition Add-On Kit. The kit also includes several foundational parts from the Education Kit, such as motors, connectors, wires, and wheels, ensuring a comprehensive building experience.

Competition Kit Benefits

Incorporating the competition add-on offers more than just additional parts; it broadens the scope of design possibilities. As robotics and STEM disciplines continue to advance, possessing the right tools becomes essential. The VEX Robotics Competition Kit, enhanced with the competition add-on, equips users for leading-edge innovation.

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Welcome to the VEX Library, a library of information about all things VEX.