Mechanalia is a multifaceted, knowledge
and strategy-based competition that combines the action of a computer game with hands on design and engineering. Participants learn how to apply basic physics, math and engineering principles to the creation of a functioning robotic arm that they use in a highly unusual environment. They also learn valuable communication and teamwork skills.To participate, students form teams of 4 to 6 players and register their team with Newton's Attic. Upon registration, each team rece
ives a robotic arm gripper kit.
Over the next several weeks, teams design, build, test and tweak their grippers to see how well they perform. Teams can take after school classes at their schools to learn about the basic principles governing the function of their arms.
At the end of the 4 to 6 week build and learn period, teams compete in periodic events, held locally, either
outdoors or at a convention center.
With three teams competing at once, teams are assigned to color coordinated '
Base Stations' and '
Robotic Rovers.' Each team attaches its gripper to an arm on the front of its rover, and prepares for the start of the game.
During the game, the rover crew drives its rover throughout the arena in search of various color coordinated objects called Artifacts. The crew collects its artifacts, one at a time with its robotic arm, and
brings each one back to its Base Station for placement on the team's Scoring Bench.
The goal of each team is to collect all of its artifacts and place them on its
Scoring Bench before the other teams get all their objects placed on their benches. When a team places the final object on its bench, a key on the bench is unlocked and the rover crew uses its
robotic arm to remove the key.
