VEX IQ
VEX IQ is a robotics program for elementary and middle school students (age 8-14)
VEX IQ is becoming increasing popular with schools and home teams, and in Fall 2017, Los Altos Robotics hosted our second VEX IQ Competition. This page will be updated with information on the 2018 season. In the meantime, you can look at information from the 2017 and prior seasons.
The VEX IQ Robot Kit includes a great remote control system in addition to the ability to program autonomous robots.
The VEX IQ Competitions are for teams of students in Elementary or Middle school (age 8-14), and include several optional activities, including events for Alliance Robot Game with remote control, Solo Robot Skills game with remote control, Programming Skills game with autonomous robots, Engineering Notebook, and awards for Robot Design and STEM project presentation.
Select the following links to read more about:
- VEX IQ Parent Information Meetings on May 16, 2017 and August 22, 2017
- Los Altos Robotics VEX IQ Team Formation Support
- VEX IQ Competition - Los Altos Events (Nov 6, 2016 and December 3, 2016)
- VEX IQ Competition - All Events
- VEX IQ Robot Kits
- VEX IQ and Robotics Summer Camp
Announcements
Los Altos Robotics will host an informational meeting for parents about the new VEX IQ Challenge and how to form teams. The meeting will be on Tuesday August 22, 2017, 7:30pm-9pm in Room 522 of Mountain View High School, 3535 Truman Ave., Mountain View. Here is a campus map. Come join us to learn more about the program and network with other coaches/parents.
[Updated 4/24/2016] Information about the 2016-17 Challenge can now be found at:
Start planning for the annual VEX IQ Challenge, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation. The VEX IQ Challenge provides elementary and middle school students with exciting, open-ended robotics and research project challenges that enhance their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills through hands-on, student-centered learning.
The VEX IQ Challenge fosters student development of the teamwork, critical thinking, project management, and communication skills required to prepare them to become the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.
The new Challenge will be announced in late April after the 2015-16 season concludes. Competitions for the 2016-17 season will take place over the year with most competitions occurring between October and April. During the season, teams will build, test, and program a radio controlled robot using VEX technology to compete in the Challenge.
As we reported last fall, Los Altos Robotics will not longer be supporting the First LEGIO League due to the administrative challenges of that program. However, I am pleased to announce that Los Altos Robotics will be holding our first VEX IQ Tournament on December 3, 2016 at Blach Middle School.
Los Altos Robotics VEX IQ 2016 Calendar
| August 23, 2016 | Los Altos Robotics parent orientation meeting from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm at Mountain View High School in room 522. Event sponsored by Mountain View High School 971 FRC Spartan Robotics team. Link to View Slides (30 page PDF) |
| September 13, 2016 | Registration opens for both Los Altos Robotics VEX IQ Scrimmage and Tournament events. Link to Registration |
| November 6, 2016 |
Los Altos Robotics VEX IQ Scrimmage at Blach Middle School. Blach Middle School is located at 1120 Covington Rd, Los Altos, CA 94024. All visitors are welcome. |
| December 3, 2016 | Los Altos Robotics VEX IQ Tournament at Blach Middle School. All visitors are welcome. |
For More Information
- Slides from 5/17/2016 and 8/23/2016 VEX IQ Parent Info Meeting (30 page PDF)
- Los Altos Robotics VEX IQ Team Formation Support
- The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation's motto is "Inspiring students, one robot at a time." They have a great page on how to start VEX IQ Challenge Teams.
- Link to VEX IQ Challenge - Los Altos Events
- Link to VEX IQ Challenge - All Events
- Derek wrote this in response to a email asking how to find a team for their daughter:
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"I don't have a lot of advice but I can offer a couple of suggestions. For a start, you might look to see if your daughter's school organizes teams through the the science department. Many teams are school teams.
Failing that, you can always form your own team. That is what I did when my son wanted to be on a team and I could not find one for him to join. It was a little scary for me at first because I had no "qualifications" but I discovered that it was all about managing kids; just like coaching a kids soccer team or a den of cub scouts. If you organize the team you can easily find other kids and can make parent participation a requirement for their kids to be on the team. Here is a link about forming a VEX team."
- The TigerBots Email List is used for all Los Altos Robotics announcements. It is very helpful if at least one person from each family involved in VEX IQ in the Los Altos area joins TigerBots. The TigerBots email list page has more information about the list and directions on how to join it.