SparkFun Announces Autonomous Vehicle Competition (AVC), Power Racing Series (PRS), and Combat Bots—Register Teams Now

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SparkFun Electronics

May 02, 2016, 09:30 ET


Niwot, Colorado (PRWEB) May 02, 2016 -- SparkFun Electronics, a provider of electronics parts and educational tutorials, is pleased to announce that team registration is now open for the legendary Autonomous Vehicle Competition (AVC), which, for the first time, will also include a course for the Power Racing Series (PRS) and, for the second year, will feature an arena for Combat Bots.

Teams from all over the world will converge on the SparkFun headquarters on Saturday, September 17, 2016 for the competitions. Participants comprise an endless range of inventors—including independent engineers and hobbyists, corporate teams, robotics clubs, families, and K-12 school and university teams. All top finishers are recognized—see the rules for details. Register here.

There are four competitions:

  • Classic AVC: Participants build autonomous vehicles weighing under 25 lbs that can jump ramps, make right turns and left turns, and self-navigate a squiggly course.
  • Power Racing Series (PRS): Built from power wheels, these vehicles are human driven and partake in multi-lap group races. Participants are known for costumes and a fun hacker attitude.
  • Autonomous Power Racing Series (A+PRS): Combination AVC and PRS. Bonus points for having a human on board an autonomous souped-up power wheels.
  • Combat Bots: One- or three-pound fighting robots (antweight and beetleweight) fight to the death (or at least until time runs out).

“We have been hosting AVC for 8 years and the levels of ingenuity and creativity increase every year,” said Nathan Seidle, CEO and founder of SparkFun. “With the addition of the Power Racing Series this year, we are looking forward to new thinking, new participants, and a very fun day. Ultimately, this is all about celebrating innovation and inspiring people to engage in invention and electronics.”

These useful links will help kick off your journey:

These competitions are open to the public—general admission tickets will be available soon. In addition to the races, there will be food trucks, music, SparkFun tours, expert speakers, and an engineering corner.

About SparkFun Electronics (http://www.sparkfun.com)
Founded in 2003, SparkFun shares its passion by providing parts, knowledge, and innovation for those looking to explore the world of embedded electronics. It helps anyone discover their inner inventor and enables individuals to create their own electronics projects. SparkFun currently offers more than 2,100 products, ranging from simple components, like capacitors and resistors, to GPS units, Bluetooth modules, and comprehensive inventor kits; additionally, SparkFun has developed nearly 400 tutorials to inspire and support others in their exploration of electronics.

About Power Racing Series (http://www.powerracingseries.org)
Engineering, technology, diversity, and above all imagination are at the core of what we represent. We believe that sharing open source knowledge, tools, and tech among inspired makers of all ages and abilities will unlock the solutions to some of the most difficult challenges we face today. The challenge of creating a working electric vehicle for under $500 encourages progressive use of available technology and inspires our teams to help each other, even in the spirit of competition. Above all else, we believe that anyone with the passion and drive to learn will help lead us into the future.

Jahnell Pereira, SparkFun Electronics, http://sparkfun.com, +1 (303) 284-0979 Ext: 801, [email protected]