Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax; 713/743-8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2004

Contact: Lisa Merkl
713/743-8192 (office)
713/605-1757 (pager)

The University of Houston’s Center for Technology Literacy will host the 2004 Texas Regional Botball Robotics Tournament at Hofheinz Pavilion from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 6. This robotics competition is designed to introduce middle and high school students to science, mathematics, engineering and technology in a fast-paced, competitive environment. The event is free to the public and is expected to attract hundreds of teachers, students, spectators and robotics professionals from across Texas.

Student teams are required to build a fully autonomous robot, as well as program it to execute specified missions. While technical skills of course are key, students learn communication, cooperation, teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well. These are real world tools that students need for success, not only in high school and college, but also in the workforce.

Founded by the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics at Oklahoma State University, so-named for the philosophy ‘keep it simple stupid,’ this botball tournament gives students hands-on experience to design, build and program their own mobile robots. Specialized kits are provided that include sensors, motors, customized robot computers, LEGO® pieces, software and documentation. Schools are given the equipment for use in the classroom after the tournament is complete.

Once the robots are built, the botball game is played on a four-by-eight-foot board where robots score points by placing foam balls into scoring positions. Requiring a robot with brains, no human intervention or remote controls are allowed meaning that students must rely solely on their computer programming skills.

To become involved or obtain more information on other robotics education events in Houston, please contact Taresa Mikle at 713-743-1855 or visit www.texastechnology.com/robotics.

To receive UH science news via e-mail, visit www.uh.edu/admin/media/sciencelist.html

For more information on botball, please visit www.botball.org

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.