NDSU Robotics Competition Brings In the Best From Around the Country

NDSU’s SHAC building was filled to capacity, as fans and competitors went to the BEST Regional Robotics Championship.

Thirty-five teams participated from states like Ohio, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.

Their challenge was to design and build a prototype robot performing different farming operations represented by a playing field.

Robots earned them points by successfully performing a series of activities.

“But it’s a lot more than just a robotics competition,” said Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Alan Kallmeyer.  “The teams also have to build a team exhibit, they have to do a marketing presentation, they have to document their work in an engineering notebook. And so it’s a lot more than just building a robot and competing.”

This is the fifth year that NDSU has hosted the regional championship.