Idea: Defcon NXT bots challenge

[jeremycec]

If it's not too late, I would like to proffer an idea ...

I would recommend having a mini-bot challenge based on the Legos Mindstorms NXT sets.

I noticed in the Defcon vendors area last year that No Starch Press has a number of books on NXT bot building, co-authored by James Floyd Kelly, Matthias Paul Scholz, et al.

Get one or more of those folks to head up a Defcon NXT bots challenge. I know the time is short to put something together, but the cool part about NXT sets is that they are pretty quick to build and program. Contestants could probably come up with something in short order.

Just a thought ...

[Just realized this might be better suited in: New Ideas

[TheCotMan]

Re: Idea: Defcon NXT bots challenge

Just realized this might be better suited in: New Ideas

Moved from Defcon Robots Contest under contests/events for Defcon 17.

[LosT]

Re: Idea: Defcon NXT bots challenge

Please don't get me started on NXT kits...

It is a slippery slope when dedicating a contest to a particular platform.

There are a number of reasons NOT to dedicate a contest to NXT alone. I don't want to go into that here- (let me know if you'd like to)-

The suggestions are appreciated though.

LosT

[kallahar]

Re: Idea: Defcon NXT bots challenge

A big problem in the past has been finding someone to bankroll having the kits available at the con. Plus to sell them you'll have to have a vendor do it (contests can't sell things).

Here's a non-contest idea though, what about a collaborate project where a bunch of people do a piece of a larger bot? Like one group does an arm, one a platform, one the movement, something like that. The leader would coordinate all the teams.

Kallahar

[LosT]

Re: Idea: Defcon NXT bots challenge

A good idea, still don't like the NXT kits (or sticking to one particular platform for that matter)--

LosT