Finding the "Right" Robot Competition: Targeting Non-Engineering Undergraduates

Robot competitions run the gamut from research-oriented challenges to K-12 contest aimed at basic problem-solving. For students and faculty at small liberal-arts colleges with limited resources, finding the right level of competition can be a difficult proposition. At Macalester College we have hosted a series of robot competitions, inviting nearby liberal-arts colleges to participate. Our goals were to engage students with robots and artificial intelligence, to raise the profile of AI on campus, and to create ties among the different colleges. The contests succeeded in forging ties among the faculty who participated, and succeeded as an extracurricular to interest students in Computer Science. They failed, however, in teaching students much about AI and robotics techniques, and in engaging students with the sponsoring faculty members. I propose a model of local-area competitions that focus on AI and robotics concepts, rather than physical robot design, and that are respectful of the limited time and resources faculty and students have to contribute.