ROBOTICS CATEGORY C

Open AI Rescue Robotics

Use any school-approved robot to solve the Highway Collapse rescue mission. AI Integration is worth 20 points within the 100-point total; the other five criteria are worth 16 points each.

🤖 Upper Primary – Year 12 recommended; capable younger students may enter👥 Individual or Team of 2–5🔓 Any Robot Platform

Local case studies are welcome: Victoria Pass is the official 2026 reference case. Students may also research a comparable real-world road collapse, landslip, closure or infrastructure disruption from their own state or territory, including Lions Road in the Kyogle region. The case selected does not itself affect eligibility or scoring; the same mission, submission requirements and judging criteria apply.

Sample Project Video 🎥

Watch a Robotics sample for guidance on presenting an open-platform robot, its operation and editable code.

Your Mission 🎯

Design, build, and program a robot that solves a Highway Collapse rescue problem — search, detect, deliver supplies, clear obstacles, or control traffic.

Category C is an open platform category: use LEGO, micro:bit, Arduino, VEX, MRT, Raspberry Pi, or any school-approved robot.

🧠 2026 Focus: Students are strongly encouraged to train a Google Teachable Machine Pose Classification model and use it to control their robot. AI Integration is assessed separately for up to 20 points within the 100-point total. Without demonstrated AI, this criterion receives 0 and the maximum is 80.

Two Ways to Participate 🛤️

Standard Open Robotics

Use any robot platform to complete a rescue mission. Program with any language or tool.

Scoring: Up to 80 points without AI (five criteria × 16)

⭐ AI-Enhanced Open Robotics

Train your own Teachable Machine Pose model and connect it to control your robot via body movements.

Scoring: 100 points total — five core criteria × 16 plus AI Integration up to 20

Accepted Robot Platforms 🤖

✅ LEGO SPIKE Prime✅ LEGO EV3✅ micro:bit✅ Arduino✅ Raspberry Pi✅ VEX✅ MRT✅ Other school-approved robots

Coding tool: Use any school-approved coding environment. Upload SB3 directly; for every non-SB3 platform, upload one ZIP containing the original editable project/source files.

Mission Ideas 💡

Mission	Description
Survivor Detection Robot	Use sensors to detect people or objects in a collapse zone
Supply Delivery Robot	Transport medical supplies to a destination through obstacles
Hazard Zone Explorer	Navigate debris and mark danger areas
Smart Traffic Control	Use lights, barriers, or signals to reroute traffic around the collapse
AI Pose-Controlled Rescue Bot	Control the robot with body movements via Teachable Machine
Temporary Bridge Builder	Transport and assemble parts for a temporary crossing

Evaluation Criteria 📊

Evaluation — 100 points total

Criteria	Beginning (1)	Developing (2)	Accomplished (3)	Exemplary (4)	Weight
Problem Solving	No clear problem	Problem identified but weak solution	Clear problem → solution design	Innovative, well-researched approach	×4 = 16
Robot Design	Robot doesn’t function	Basic movement only	Effective structure and components	Elegant engineering with clear purpose	×4 = 16
Coding & Control	No working code	Basic commands only	Logic, conditions, sensors used	Robust, well-structured program	×4 = 16
Mission Performance	Mission not attempted	Partial mission	Mission mostly completed	Full mission success with precision	×4 = 16
Presentation	No explanation	Brief overview	Clear demo + explanation	Excellent walkthrough of design process	×4 = 16
AI Integration	AI model/control demonstrated but unreliable	Basic AI-to-robot integration works inconsistently	Reliable AI control supports the rescue mission	Well-tested AI control meaningfully improves mission performance	×5 = 20

AI Integration — up to 20 points: AI must be demonstrated controlling the robot and supporting the rescue mission. Assess its reliability and usefulness, not simply whether AI is mentioned. AI not used or not demonstrated: 0 points. Five core criteria total 80; AI Integration adds up to 20, within the 100-point maximum.

Maximum Total: 100 points

Submission Requirements 📦

One combined Presentation & Robot Operation Video — maximum 6 minutes; longer videos cannot be finalised
Clearly demonstrate the movements, sensors, mechanisms and controls that are relevant to your chosen rescue solution
A required editable project/code file — upload SB3 directly, or one ZIP containing the original editable non-SB3 files
An optional Project Note — two to five sentences if already prepared; it may be left blank
If AI is used: include your Teachable Machine model URL

Upload the video and code file directly through the RCC Dashboard; Google Drive, GitHub and participant YouTube links are not required. This video is the online qualification entry for the UNSW Sydney Robotics Finals. A competition field and complete mission run are not required at this stage. Explain the robot design, controls, strategy, testing and learning in the video; a written report is not required.

Australian Curriculum Connections 🇦🇺

Curriculum Area	Connection
Digital Technologies	AI control, sensor input, autonomous logic, robot programming, digital solutions
Design & Technologies	Open robot design, prototyping, testing, iterative improvement for real-world problems
Science	Forces, motion, friction, motors, structural stability, sensors
Mathematics	Measurement, distance, angles, timing, path planning, data accuracy
HASS / Geography	Road collapse impact, safety systems, community infrastructure, disaster response
Critical & Creative Thinking	Designing innovative solutions, evaluating effectiveness, creative engineering

Aligned with Australian Curriculum V9.0

“Any robot. Any code. Add AI to go further.”