Current Event — 2025

The 2026 Challenge Theme

RESCUE CITY:
Alien Attack

Save the city with coding and robots!

A peaceful futuristic city is under attack by alien forces. Students join the Rescue City Defense Team to protect citizens, restore broken systems, and create smart rescue solutions through coding, AI, and robotics.

🎯 Challenge Overview: This challenge encourages students to think like engineers, solve meaningful problems, and build creative projects with real-world STEM ideas.

1. What Students Can Build

What can students create?

  • 🎮 Games that rescue people, avoid alien attacks, or deliver emergency supplies.
  • 🏗️ Simulations that manage city power, traffic, shelters, or defense systems.
  • 📱 Apps or digital tools such as SOS systems, warning systems, or safe route planners.
  • 🧠 AI projects using image, sound, or body movement recognition.
  • 🤖 Robots that move, detect danger, deliver items, or respond automatically to emergencies.
  • ⚙️ Open projects using existing robot kits that match the yearly theme.

2. Coding Challenge Pathways

Path A

Junior Coding Explorers

Best for: Lower Primary

Students can create beginner-friendly rescue projects.

Tools: ScratchJr, Scratch, Google Teachable Machine for simple AI.

Project Ideas:

  • A simple rescue story game
  • A game where a robot collects medicine
  • A city warning animation
  • An AI mission where a pose triggers an action
👨‍🏫 Good for teachers because: Ideal for introducing sequencing, storytelling, logic, and simple problem-solving.

Path B

Creative Coding Rescue

Best for: Upper Primary to Secondary

Students can use Scratch, Python, JavaScript, or any language to create a project that fits the theme.

Allowed Outcomes: Games, Simulations, Apps, Interactive Stories.

Project Ideas:

  • Evacuation route planner
  • Alien attack defense game
  • Power grid recovery simulator
  • Rescue drone delivery mission
⚠️ Important Note: There is no fixed coding language restriction in this pathway!

Path C

AI Rescue Mission

Best for: Upper Primary to Secondary

Combine coding with Google Teachable Machine to build AI-powered rescue solutions.

AI Inputs: Image, Sound/Voice, or Pose/Gesture recognition.

Project Ideas:

  • Raise both hands = activate shield
  • Say “Rescue” = start mission
  • Show a red image = fire alert
  • Detect an alien image = start defense mode
👨‍🏫 Good for teachers because: Helps students understand AI for practical safety systems, not just gaming.

3. Robotics Challenge Pathways

Robotics A

Line Tracer & Servo Rescue

Build and program a robot that follows safe routes in the damaged city to deliver supplies.

  • Missions: Follow paths to the hospital, stop at warning colours, turn accurately, use a servo to drop medicine.
  • Skills Involved: Sensor reading, line tracing, servo control, precise movement.
Robotics B

Smart Home Defense

Build a smart safety system protecting people inside a home during the attack.

  • Missions: Detect heat/fire, detect movement, activate emergency LEDs/sirens, activate lockdown mode.
  • Skills Involved: Arduino programming, sensor integration, automation logic.
Robotics C

AI Motion Control Robot

Use AI-based motion recognition to control a robot without touching it.

  • Missions: Hand signal = move forward, Pose = stop, Special motion = release rescue package.
  • Skills Involved: AI pose recognition, coding+robotics integration, human-machine interaction.
Robotics D

Open Robotics Division

Join using robot kits you already own, as long as the project matches the theme.

  • Accepted Kits: LEGO Robotics, VEX, Arduino, micro:bit, mBot, Codey Rocky, Ozobot, Sphero, Raspberry Pi, MRT, and more!
  • Rule: If it clearly connects to the Rescue City mission, it is welcome!

4. Recommended Tools You Can Use

💻 Coding Tools

  • ScratchJr & Scratch
  • Python
  • JavaScript
  • Other mainstream languages

🧠 AI Tools

  • Google Teachable Machine
  • TM2Scratch extension
  • TMPose2Scratch extension

⚙️ Robotics Tools

  • MRT C-language & Scratch Compiler
  • MRT AI Mainboard
  • Arduino & micro:bit
  • Other compatible controllers

👨‍🏫 Helpful for Teachers

Teachers can use this challenge to support classroom learning in Digital Technologies, STEM/STEAM, Robotics, Design Thinking, the Engineering Design Process, AI introduction, Problem-solving, teamwork, and project-based learning.

Guide based on confidence:

Students do not need to build the same type of project. You may guide them by level:

  • Lower Primary: ScratchJr / Scratch storytelling or simple games
  • Upper Primary: Scratch, AI missions, simple robotics
  • Secondary: Python, advanced AI, smart systems, robotics engineering

Suggested Classroom Flow:

  1. Learn the Rescue City story
  2. Identify a city problem
  3. Plan a solution
  4. Build the code or robot
  5. Test and improve
  6. Present how the solution saves the city

Evaluation Criteria

1

Creativity (20 pts)

How original, imaginative, and exciting is the idea?

2

Problem Solving (20 pts)

How well does the project help Rescue City solve an important problem?

3

Coding/Engineering (20 pts)

How well is the code or robot built and programmed?

4

Design & Function (20 pts)

Does it work smoothly, clearly, and successfully?

5

Presentation (20 pts)

Can the student clearly explain the idea, process, and impact?

+

Bonus Points

Extra credit for strong AI integration, smart safety systems, excellent storytelling, real-world usefulness, or creative robotics design.

Important Entry Guidance

Students may participate at their own level.
Projects can be simple or advanced, digital or physical, individual or team-based, as long as they connect clearly to the yearly challenge theme.

Bonus Rule: A single registration allows a student to submit up to 2 projects across different pathways (e.g., 1 Coding + 1 Robotics). You do NOT need to choose your category during registration—just submit when you are ready!

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