Tasks and rules for the 2025 season
All questions about the tasks and rules for the 2025 season are displayed here. We recommend that you keep checking back here, as the FAQs are assumed to be known for the competitions!
RoboMission
The new season will see some technical changes to the general regulations. Please take a good look at them.
Note: this is an excerpt from the new rules for RoboMission. The complete set of rules with further important rule changes compared to the previous year will be published together with the 2025 competition tasks on January 15. You can definitely expect the following news:
- Lego robots are no longer the only ones allowed.
- The robotic system can be chosen freely.
- In order to be able to check the robots better on the day of the competition, each team must submit a technical summary of its own robot (robot profile) in advance. The robotics set, sensors, actuators and other systems used are specified.
- As in previous years, the same size restriction applies: a robot may not exceed the dimensions 250 mm x 250 mm x 250 mm (including cable).
- As the robots no longer have to be assembled on the day of the competition, the schedule also changes. This will be published at least two weeks before the respective Regional Competition.
- Qualification for the Swiss final is based on an overall ranking of all Regional Competitions. The WRO Switzerland OC reserves the right to change the mode.
- The qualified teams will be published on the homepage and informed personally by Monday, May 26, 2025 at the latest.
What materials can be used to build robots?
The robot may be built from any materials and components as long as the following criteria are met:
| Total weight | ≤ 1.5 kg |
| Battery | ≤ 8 000 mAh The manufacturer’s instructions and specifications for the use of batteries must be followed. |
| Voltage of the electrical components | ≤ 18 V |
| Amperage | ≤ 5A |
| Start and stop button | One (1) obviously recognizable button is required to start and stop the robot. This means that the same button that is used to start the robot is also used to stop the robot. The start and stop buttons must be located on the outside of the robot (not underneath) and must be easily recognizable and accessible. A physical button is preferable to a button on a touchscreen. If the button is pressed during the run, any movement must be stopped immediately. Exception: The separate stop button on the EV3 may also be used to stop a program. |
| Sensors | In general, there are no restrictions on the type or number of sensors, but some sensor types are restricted to certain age groups. The use of cameras is restricted to the age groups Junior and Senior. The use of LIDAR and other 3D scanners is restricted to the age group Senior. |
| Motors | There are no restrictions on the type of motors. The number of motors is limited in the various age categories as follows: Elementary4 motors Junior: 5 motors Senior6 motors |
| Wheels and tracks | All types of wheels (including omni wheels) or tracks can be used. They must be designed in such a way that the playing field mat is not damaged. In particular, pointed and metallic contact surfaces are prohibited. The wheels must not leave any sticky material on the playing field mat. |
| Mechanical components (risk of injury) |
Mechanical components must be designed in such a way that they do not pose a risk of injury. Robots that pose a risk of injury must be changed without discussion at the request of the judges or will be excluded from the competition. |
| Electrical and electronic components (risk of injury) |
Electrical and electronic components must be designed in such a way that they do not pose a risk of injury. Robots that pose a risk of injury will be excluded from the competition. Modifications are only permitted if there is no risk of injury to the participants. |
| Gases | Only atmospheric air may be used. All other gases are not permitted. |
| Liquids | No liquids may be used. This also applies to oil or other lubricants. |
| Spray bottles / aerosol bottles | It is not permitted to use spray bottles with liquids or gases. This applies in particular to cooling spray/ice spray and lubricants. |
| Pneumatic systems | Pneumatic systems can be used. They can be filled by the robot itself after the start or manually before the start. The maximum pressure must not exceed 3 bar. If the system is specified for a lower pressure, this specification applies as the upper limit. The maximum volume for tanks in the system is 150 ml. A compressor for the pneumatic system counts as a motor. |
| Hydraulic systems | Hydraulic systems are not permitted. |
| Fragile materials | Do not use materials that can easily break into many pieces or that leave dangerous edges after breaking, such as glass. |
| 3D-printed materials | 3D-printed materials and parts can be used. 3D printing during the competition is not permitted. |
| Laser | The use of lasers is restricted to lasers that do not pose a safety risk (≤ Class 1M). A certificate is required stating that the laser is safe for the eyes. |
| Important note and FAQs | If a team brings radically new ideas to the RoboMission category that are very different from the old approaches, these should be discussed with the National Organizer/Chief Judge (or they should clarify them with the WRO Association). There will be updates and additions to this table in the FAQs. Check these regularly: https://wro.swiss/faq-de/ |
Can I continue to take part in the RoboMission competitions with my robot (Lego Spike Prime or EV3) from previous years?
Yes, participation with robots from previous years is very possible. The new specifications were developed with the aim of enabling LEGO robots to continue to participate competitively. However, the new rules need to be examined in detail. For example, the number of motors is limited to 4 in the Elementary age group, 5 in Junior and 6 in Senior. In the past, only the number of ports represented a maximum limit.
Please note the amended section 11.3 in the general regulations:
The robot must be brought to the competition assembled. From this year onwards, there will be no long construction phase at the start of the competition day.
The main reason for the change is the new specifications for robots in Chapter 5 of the general regulations. Section 5.2 states that any materials and components may be used for the construction of the robot as long as the criteria listed below are met. Depending on the robot type and design, disassembly into individual parts is not possible. In order to make the framework conditions for the competition as fair as possible, all robots will therefore no longer have to be assembled at the start of the competition day. All teams can therefore bring their fully assembled robot to the competition.
Question:
What happens if a component is completely missing?
Answer:
If a required LEGO component is not available or has already been used, it can be borrowed directly from WRO Switzerland. Please include the LEGO part number with your request so that we can help you.
Question:
What to do if not all components for the additional task are available in the correct color?
Answer:
The color of the components is irrelevant for solving all additional tasks. Teams can also build objects such as the fire or the fire extinguisher in other colors if certain parts are missing or already installed elsewhere. This does not result in any disadvantage for the solution.
Question:
For tasks with short actions (e.g. fire extinguisher touches fire), how do we ensure that this is assessed correctly by our referees?
Answer:
The additional tasks were deliberately designed to enable interesting technical and strategic solutions. Precise observation is also required: the referees work in teams of two and are specifically trained for such situations. This allows them to reliably recognize whether, for example, a touch has taken place correctly.
Question:
In the senior category, when must the fire extinguisher be brought to the fire in order to receive full points?
Answer:
For the full 20 points, the fire must be extinguished right at the start. As soon as another task is started, only 10 points are awarded. A task counts as started as soon as the first component is touched. As soon as a component of another task has been touched, no more points are awarded for the additional task.
Question:
When does the dangerous sample count as damaged in the Juniors?
Answer:
If the white part is no longer supported only by the beige supports and/or the tip is no longer upright, the Pribe is considered damaged.
Whole:
Damaged:
The national final of the WRO is a full-day event:
- Morning: Annual task with three rounds of competition. The test phases last 60 minutes, 60 minutes and 30 minutes.
- Afternoon: On-Day-Challenge with two scoring periods with two scoring runs per team. The scoring periods last 75 minutes each.
After the final Regional Competition, the teams that qualified for the Swiss final were presented with an extra task. The teams are free to solve these during the preparation for the Swiss final in order to gain extra points. The game objects for the extra task are always placed on the game field when the robot starts, regardless of whether the team wants to solve this task or not. The extra task only applies to the three runs in the morning.
At the beginning of the Swiss final, a surprise task will be presented for each age group. The teams are free to solve these during the morning to gain extra points. The game objects for the surprise task are always placed on the game field when the robot starts, regardless of whether the team wants to solve this task or not. The surprise task only applies to the three runs in the morning.
In the On-Day Challenge, familiar game objects are mixed with new ones and placed on the game field. This leads to new challenges that the teams have to solve in the afternoon. Normally, the new tasks contain few or no random placements. A maximum of four solution attempts (runs) can be shown to the referee. Until the first deadline at 15:45 you can submit max. Show 2 runs, until the further deadline at 17:00 you can show another 2 runs. The better run will be included in the ranking. The points and times from the better run of the first deadline and the better run of the second deadline are added together. If no run could be scored during a time limit, 0 points and 120 seconds are recorded.
Future Innovators
Future Engineers
No.
WRO Starter
Yes, the return capsule and the other objects can be touched as long as they are completely in a safe zone (i.e. in the corner zones or on Earth). However, they must not be carried by hand to another corner zone.
There are no regulations as to the safe zone in which the robot must start in order to complete a specific subtask.
To be able to touch the robot and carry it to the next area, it is sufficient for it to touch the safe zone (e.g. with a wheel).
To start the robot for the next subtask, it must be completely in a safe zone.
Yes, the earth is also considered a safe zone from which a subtask may be launched.
Attention: This is an extension of the original rule in which only the corner zones are allowed for the start of a subtask!
Registration
It is our wish that at least 6 teams per location in each category register for a competition. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work out, and then we work with our regional partner to figure out how to deal with it.
Age groups or competitions under 4 teams do not usually take place. Here we try to transfer teams to other competitions in the vicinity. If a team is unable to re-register (e.g. due to scheduling problems or long travel distances), it can cancel its registration and receive a refund of the registration fee.
The situation directly after the registration deadline is always decisive for these considerations. The following therefore always applies during the registration phase: If in doubt, always register first!
The WRO is open to all children and young people – boys and girls – between the ages of 6 and 19 who come together in teams of 2 or 3. It does not have to be a school team.
No, when registering, the team is guaranteed a starting place in the respective category. All you have to do is specify at which location and in which age group the team should compete.
The exact names and dates of birth of the participants must be entered by the end of the registration period on March 15. Our online system automatically reminds you of this.
Please note our registration conditions.
If a competition in a category is already fully booked, try to switch to another competition nearby first.
If this is not possible, please contact Markus from our organization team. They can discuss with our regional partner whether a space can still be created. As a rule, you will receive a response within 48 hours.
No, a participant can only take part in one team in one category.
This allows participants to focus on one task and achieve the best results.
Every now and then a coach or team asks whether people can take part in an age group for which they are still too young. This may be because the desired team colleagues are older, or a participant thinks that the task of the higher age group is easier.
However, the age limits make sense, as the teams should compete with people of the same age as far as possible. It is therefore not possible for a team to participate in an age group if none of the team members have reached the lower limit. If an individual team member is too young, exceptions are possible, but such a team cannot then qualify for the international competitions, as the age limits are strictly adhered to there.
A registration fee of CHF 150 per team must be paid when registering. This fee includes the playing field mat (worth approx. CHF 68) and, for teams taking part for the first time, the building block sets for the playing field objects.
As we want to keep the hurdles for participation in our competitions as low as possible, the registration fee will be refunded after participation in a Regional Competition. We have decided to go down this route instead of simply waiving participation fees because we want to avoid teams simply registering but then not taking part. After all, our regional partners have a lot of organizational and financial work to do to stage the competitions, and the number of places is limited. We believe that this variant leads to greater commitment and still keeps the hurdles low.
In addition to the registration fee, there are further costs for the teams:
In particular, a robotics set, e.g. Lego Spike Prime or a comparable set from another manufacturer, is required. This can be purchased in retail outlets, e.g. from our partner Educatec. And WRO Switzerland offers inexpensive sets for rent in its web store.
Each team bears the costs of traveling to and from the competitions. However, there is a hardship fund that can be used to provide a subsidy for travel and accommodation costs in justified individual cases.
Teams that have taken part in a Regional Competition will subsequently have their registration fee refunded.
Shortly after the last regio, the coach will receive an email from WRO Switzerland asking them to enter their bank details in the registration tool. A coach then has the option of either requesting a full refund or donating the amount so that we can continue to enable many teams to participate in the WRO in the future.
We endeavor to make the payment as soon as possible. Please note that our treasurer also performs his duties for the WRO on a voluntary basis in his free time. It can therefore take a few weeks before you have the money in your account. Thank you for your understanding!
Competitions
You really can support your team nly by keeping your fingers crossed. 😉 The teams needs to work on their own throughout the day. This includes assempling the robot in the beginning as well as any necessary coding.
If the team runs into any problems, the judges are the first point of contact. They will help finding solutions to any technical, i.e. non-coding-related, issues. If they cannot help, they will fetch the coach who can then give support in the presence of a judge.
We recommend all teams practice ahead of the competition day what to to if the robot doesn’t work. (Hint: Checking that the cables are connected correctly, and restarting the robot, the app as well as the computer will help in most cases!)
No, such cloud memory is not allowed during competitions. All files must be saved on the computer or tablet. If the team brings a second devive for emergencies, files may be transferred using a USB drive.
The qualification conditions for the Swiss final have been adjusted for the 2025 season due to the larger number of Regional Competitions and the very different number of teams per competition.
The following new rules apply to the RoboMission and Starter categories:
After the last Regional Competition, the overall rankings of all competitions per category and age group are compiled. The following starting places for the Swiss final will be awarded on the basis of these rankings:
- the best 20 teams in the age group Elementary in RoboMission
- the best 20 teams in the age group Junior in RoboMission
- the best 16 teams in the age group Senior in RoboMission
- the best 8 teams in the category WRO Starter
For the category Future Innovators the following regulation applies:
Just like last year, the first two teams from Yverdon and Rotkreuz will qualify directly for the Swiss final. From the remaining teams we will create an overall ranking and select the best 1 – 2 teams.
The coaches of the qualified teams will be informed by e-mail and the overall rankings will be published on our homepage.
Yes, we are happy to welcome visitors! All our competitions can be attended free of charge.
The venue, including travel information, will be published on the information page of the respective competition.
No, there are enough competition and practice tables available at the competition.
Please refrain from bringing your own competition tables. As a rule, there is not enough space at the competitions to set up your own tables.
The same applies to playing field mats.
Yes, if the team coach is unable to attend on the day of the competition, another adult can take over the supervision of the team. In an emergency, a team can also compete without a team coach. However, this is not advisable.
In such a case, please notify us of the change, thank you
A WRO competition is an all-day event. Roughly speaking, you can expect the race to run from around 7.30 am (opening) to around 5.30 pm (award ceremony).
The exact schedule can be found in the competition schedule, which is published on the information page of the respective competition a few weeks before the event.
The number of teams allowed to take part in the WRO World Final is determined by the qualification tables of the international WRO organization. This depends on how many teams have registered with us in the respective competition categories.
In the 2025 season, the first-placed teams in each age group in the RoboMission category can qualify for the world final in Singapore at the Swiss final. In addition, the best team in each of the categories Future Innovators and Future Engineers can also take part in the world final. There is no world final for the starter category.
In addition, the following starting places are available at the Open Championship in Slovenia in the 2025 season:
- 2 starting places RoboMission Elementary
- 2 starting places RoboMission Junior
- 2 starting places RoboMission Senior
- 2 starting places Future Innovators
- 1 starting place Future Engineers
Every now and then a coach or team asks whether people can take part in an age group for which they are still too young. This may be because the desired team colleagues are older, or a participant thinks that the task of the higher age group is easier.
However, the age limits make sense, as the teams should compete with people of the same age as far as possible. It is therefore not possible for a team to participate in an age group if none of the team members have reached the lower limit. If an individual team member is too young, exceptions are possible, but such a team cannot then qualify for the international competitions, as the age limits are strictly adhered to there.
The random placement of the objects is announced when the robots are in the robot parking lot, i.e. after the construction phase is over. This can take place at the same time as the robot check, or afterwards. This placement then applies to all teams.
In some competitions, especially the Swiss final, this ranking is drawn by lot on site or determined by a random generator, while in other competitions the referees receive it from the competition management in a sealed envelope that is only opened after the end of the construction phase. In no case do teams know the randomizations in advance. Theoretically, it is possible for the same placement to be drawn twice.
Which objects are placed randomly and which are not is specified in the task for the respective age group. Using Elementary 2025 as an example, this means that the satellites are placed randomly in each round, while the other objects always have the same starting position.
Reference: General Regulations 2025, Rule 9.6.
The national final of the WRO is a full-day event:
- Morning: Annual task with three rounds of competition. The test phases last 60 minutes, 60 minutes and 30 minutes.
- Afternoon: On-Day-Challenge with two scoring periods with two scoring runs per team. The scoring periods last 75 minutes each.
After the final Regional Competition, the teams that qualified for the Swiss final were presented with an extra task. The teams are free to solve these during the preparation for the Swiss final in order to gain extra points. The game objects for the extra task are always placed on the game field when the robot starts, regardless of whether the team wants to solve this task or not. The extra task only applies to the three runs in the morning.
At the beginning of the Swiss final, a surprise task will be presented for each age group. The teams are free to solve these during the morning to gain extra points. The game objects for the surprise task are always placed on the game field when the robot starts, regardless of whether the team wants to solve this task or not. The surprise task only applies to the three runs in the morning.
In the On-Day Challenge, familiar game objects are mixed with new ones and placed on the game field. This leads to new challenges that the teams have to solve in the afternoon. Normally, the new tasks contain few or no random placements. A maximum of four solution attempts (runs) can be shown to the referee. Until the first deadline at 15:45 you can submit max. Show 2 runs, until the further deadline at 17:00 you can show another 2 runs. The better run will be included in the ranking. The points and times from the better run of the first deadline and the better run of the second deadline are added together. If no run could be scored during a time limit, 0 points and 120 seconds are recorded.
FAQ for coaches and teachers
You really can support your team nly by keeping your fingers crossed. 😉 The teams needs to work on their own throughout the day. This includes assempling the robot in the beginning as well as any necessary coding.
If the team runs into any problems, the judges are the first point of contact. They will help finding solutions to any technical, i.e. non-coding-related, issues. If they cannot help, they will fetch the coach who can then give support in the presence of a judge.
We recommend all teams practice ahead of the competition day what to to if the robot doesn’t work. (Hint: Checking that the cables are connected correctly, and restarting the robot, the app as well as the computer will help in most cases!)
Upon arrival, the team is accompanied to their work space. The team members set up their material for the day. In Regional Competitions, the coach can still help if necessary. The computer may already be turned on, but no porgramming is allowed yet.
During the opening of the event, the surprise task is announced. An additional object is on the game field and must be transported, or another action must be performed with a known object. Each team can decide for themselves whether they want to include this surprise task into their program or not. However, as a rule, the additional element may not be removed from the game field.
During the test phases, the team has time to test and, if necessary, adapt the program to the circumstances of the day. As a rule, about 4 teams share a game field.
Shortly before the test phase is over, the robots must be placed in the robot parking lot. Hint: take your charging cable with you to the parking! Tablets also need to be taken to the robot parking, and laptops must be closed. Robots that are not in the parking area on time must not start in this run.
Now the judges check the robots: do they fit into the measuring cure of 25cm x 25cm x 25 cm? They also check that only permitted programs are on the robot. Only robots that conform to the regulations are allowed to start. While the robots are being checked, the head judge will announce the randomization for playing fields objects for this round.
Then the first competition run takes place. Points achieved and times will be recorded.
After lunch, there are three more test phases (60 minutes, then twice 30 minutes), robot checks and scoring runs.
After the 4th competition run, the teams tidy up their workspaces, while the organizers figure out the final results and write the certificates (and only the best two rounds count for the final result, and if two teams have the same number of points, the time is also taken into account). Then the results will be announced and awards given to the winners, and then the long competition day is over.
No, such cloud memory is not allowed during competitions. All files must be saved on the computer or tablet. If the team brings a second devive for emergencies, files may be transferred using a USB drive.
The team should first familiarize themselves with the robot without looking at the competition tasks. This includes the use of sensors and how the robot can best drive. Can he follow a black line and drive across the game field with the gyro sensor? Both are very useful skills that will certainly be needed!
The task is then studied and the LEGO models (“objects”) belonging to the task are assembled. You can now consider how the robot must be designed so that it can move the objects correctly and reliably (pushing? lifting? that depends on the task!). The team should now construct a prototype of this robot.
Then you think about it: What are the simplest subtasks? Which ones score the most points? Most teams do not manage to solve all subtasks within the allotted 120 seconds. That’s why a bit of strategy is needed here: driving to safety and therefore scoring few points, but having them safely? Or would you rather take risks in the hope of scoring more points, but also run the risk of something not working out? The team has to find out among themselves…
As the competition approaches: test, test, test! Don’t add much more, but rather make sure that what you have already achieved works reliably. Also test the different starting positions, as the objects are randomly placed on the game field. Testing is not exciting, but it is necessary in order to find any errors. You can also take care of the speed. By now at the latest, the general rules and regulations should also be thoroughly studied so that there are no unpleasant surprises on the day of the competition.
And then: if possible, do the final training sessions under competitive conditions. The coach stays outside, the cell phone is switched off and the computer is in airplane mode. The team tries to do everything themselves, without help and without instructions.
They may work together, but the product must be recognizably different, both in design and in code. The motto is: learn together and from each other, but don’t copy each other’s work!
No, you don’t have to be able to program yourself or even be a computer science professional. As a coach, you learn along with your team. You can help your team research things they need, but the programming work has to be done by the team itself!
However, we do offer courses and webinars for new coaches with information on WRO and the basics of robotics.
The team needs:
- Regular time for training. It is best to schedule a fixed appointment every week where all team members can be present.
- A LEGO robotics set (SPIKE Prime, Mindstorms Robot Inventor or Mindstorms EV3).
WRO Switzerland offers sets for rent at a reasonable price. - A computer or tablet on which the app belonging to the respective robotics set is installed. The system requirements must be observed.
- Enough space for the playing field (approx. 1.3m x 2.3m)
- Lego bricks to build the models for the competition task (these can be ordered when registering for the competition or in our webshop).
- Recommended: a measuring tape.
It is also recommended to have a table for the playing field. Building instructions are available on the website. If this is not possible for space reasons, we recommend at least making a frame for the playing field from a few slats, which can be easily screwed together and taken apart. Boards around the playing field are very useful because you can align a robot with them, for example, so that the driving angle is correct…
Otherwise, you need patience and the ability to motivate your team!
Yes, if the team coach is unable to attend on the day of the competition, another adult can take over the supervision of the team. In an emergency, a team can also compete without a team coach. However, this is not advisable.
In such a case, please notify us of the change, thank you
Anyone who is at least 18 years old and who wants to get girls and boys interested in technology. This can be a teacher, a parent or an older pupil and does not necessarily have to be someone with a technical background.
WRO CH holds regular courses for teachers and coaches at the beginning of the year.
Teams that have taken part in a Regional Competition will subsequently have their registration fee refunded.
Shortly after the last regio, the coach will receive an email from WRO Switzerland asking them to enter their bank details in the registration tool. A coach then has the option of either requesting a full refund or donating the amount so that we can continue to enable many teams to participate in the WRO in the future.
We endeavor to make the payment as soon as possible. Please note that our treasurer also performs his duties for the WRO on a voluntary basis in his free time. It can therefore take a few weeks before you have the money in your account. Thank you for your understanding!
The national final of the WRO is a full-day event:
- Morning: Annual task with three rounds of competition. The test phases last 60 minutes, 60 minutes and 30 minutes.
- Afternoon: On-Day-Challenge with two scoring periods with two scoring runs per team. The scoring periods last 75 minutes each.
After the final Regional Competition, the teams that qualified for the Swiss final were presented with an extra task. The teams are free to solve these during the preparation for the Swiss final in order to gain extra points. The game objects for the extra task are always placed on the game field when the robot starts, regardless of whether the team wants to solve this task or not. The extra task only applies to the three runs in the morning.
At the beginning of the Swiss final, a surprise task will be presented for each age group. The teams are free to solve these during the morning to gain extra points. The game objects for the surprise task are always placed on the game field when the robot starts, regardless of whether the team wants to solve this task or not. The surprise task only applies to the three runs in the morning.
In the On-Day Challenge, familiar game objects are mixed with new ones and placed on the game field. This leads to new challenges that the teams have to solve in the afternoon. Normally, the new tasks contain few or no random placements. A maximum of four solution attempts (runs) can be shown to the referee. Until the first deadline at 15:45 you can submit max. Show 2 runs, until the further deadline at 17:00 you can show another 2 runs. The better run will be included in the ranking. The points and times from the better run of the first deadline and the better run of the second deadline are added together. If no run could be scored during a time limit, 0 points and 120 seconds are recorded.
A registration fee of CHF 150 per team must be paid when registering. This fee includes the playing field mat (worth approx. CHF 68) and, for teams taking part for the first time, the building block sets for the playing field objects.
As we want to keep the hurdles for participation in our competitions as low as possible, the registration fee will be refunded after participation in a Regional Competition. We have decided to go down this route instead of simply waiving participation fees because we want to avoid teams simply registering but then not taking part. After all, our regional partners have a lot of organizational and financial work to do to stage the competitions, and the number of places is limited. We believe that this variant leads to greater commitment and still keeps the hurdles low.
In addition to the registration fee, there are further costs for the teams:
In particular, a robotics set, e.g. Lego Spike Prime or a comparable set from another manufacturer, is required. This can be purchased in retail outlets, e.g. from our partner Educatec. And WRO Switzerland offers inexpensive sets for rent in its web store.
Each team bears the costs of traveling to and from the competitions. However, there is a hardship fund that can be used to provide a subsidy for travel and accommodation costs in justified individual cases.
The team only needs their computer/tablet with power cable and the robotics set with power/charging cable. Game fields, task models and tables are provided by the competition organizers. Catering is also provided.
The program that the team worked on during the preparation time may and should be used, it does not have to be completely reprogrammed on the day!
Future Innovators is still a young category in Switzerland. For some teams and coaches, this leads to the question: What is a really good project that has a chance of success?
The following tips can help you choose a suitable topic. They are not intended to intimidate you, but to help you check your idea for potential success.
This video from the 2022 WRO World Final in Germany can give you some ideas for great projects (Sorry, this video is in German). But don't be intimidated by the size of these projects. The teams shown in this film also started out with a simple robotics set!
Tip 1: Do something that is close to your heart!
You will be working on your project for several months. Some teams spend part of their free time on it, especially in the last few weeks, even if it started as a school project. If you're not having fun with the project, that's a very long time! It is helpful if you choose a project topic that is important to you in some way. If you have an idea of how this project could be helpful for yourself or for people you care about, that is a great motivation to keep at it for so long. Or if the robot helps with a social or ecological problem that you are also interested in, it is easier to develop good ideas.
Tip 2: Take your time to find a topic!
All the topics that come to your mind in the first 10 minutes are probably the first things that come to the minds of every other team in the world. This means that if you choose such a project, you will have a lot of competition from other teams showing the same thing. In this case, you have to fulfill all the criteria of the competition extremely well to have a chance. That is very difficult. It is better to spend a little more time searching for your project. A coach from Germany, whose teams have been qualifying for the German finals and international competitions for years, advised the following:
"When I start the WRO season with my robotics class, we have a brainstorming session. The students have 15 minutes to write down everything they can think of relating to the theme for the year. This is collected on the board and noted. But then all these ideas are discarded. After all, these are the everyday topics that everyone else can think of. We then do a second brainstorming session for the rest of the lesson and as homework for the next week, and the ideas that grow in that time are much better."
Tip 3: Stay close to the topic!
The task for Future Innovators is always very broad. In 2022, the motto was "My Robot – My Friend". The task was to develop a robot or robotic solution that is suitable for one of the three activities:
- Help in the household
- Recovery and rescue
- Assistance in (nursing) care
Robots are already being used in all three areas. And all three areas are broad enough that there's a good chance you'll have a truly original project that not too many other teams have (if you follow tip 1). A vacuum cleaner robot, a laundry-ironing robot, a flower-watering robot and a dishwasher-cleaning robot would all do the job. On the other hand, a robot that looks for the right pieces from the box for the children when they are playing Lego would certainly be a great friend, but it doesn't really help around the house. Therefore, this robot would get fewer points because the task is not well fulfilled (even if it is otherwise a great project).
Tip 4: Be innovative!
If you take a project where you have to expect that many other teams will have something similar, then think about it: What can we do with our project that is really special? In the example of the household robot, there were many projects that had a similar basic idea to a Roomba. The floor is cleaned with a robot. This was implemented to varying degrees by the teams, but basically most of these projects were boring as they contained nothing new. But if your robot vacuum cleaner could not only remove dirt from the floor, but could also identify coins as "This is not waste", for example, then it would have significant innovative added value compared to the normal Roomba.
Tip 5: Think big but be real!
You can have great ideas for your projects. Why should your robot friend only give your pet food at the touch of a button? Automatic feeders are already available in all sizes. Why not think about whether the robot that helps you with your pet could also play with it? Or could clean the litter box? Would your robot be able to stand in for you during short vacations so that you don't have to hire a pet sitter?
But always remember two points:
- You have to build a working prototype that you can present at the competition. It should show everything you have planned. The more diverse or complicated functions you have, the more time-consuming the material and programming will be. Think about what you can realistically achieve in the time available to you and with the materials (or budget) you have. A robot that doesn't deliver what the team promises has no chance of a good ranking!
- You must have an idea of the realization of your project in the real world. This means: Is it possible to build a robot that goes for a walk with the dog, that is strong enough that the dog cannot simply pull it over and drag it along when it wants to run away, but that is also fast enough to allow the dog real movement? He should of course also be able to pick up the dog poo and dispose of it correctly, and prevent the dog from doing its business in the neighbor's strawberry patch of all places. And it should be able to do all this in wind and weather and sub-zero temperatures without damaging the electronics or mechanics, and also find its way home again safely. What kind of material would such a robot have to be made of? (Your prototype may be made of Lego, but in the real world it wouldn't be a good idea…) What would such a device cost for the end customer? Would it even be marketable? The older the teams are, the more important such questions are when evaluating the project.
General questions
Sure – with pleasure! The WRO is a large community project with many partners and volunteers who are involved as competition partners (organization of a local competition), referees, jury members or helpers at regional competitions or at the Swiss final.
You can make an important contribution as a team coach, referee, jury member, helper, competition partner or sponsor. Simply get in touch via our contact form. We are very happy!
The WRO is organized in Switzerland by our association WRO CH. The association is made up of adults and young people who enjoy robotics and some of whom have taken part in international events and competitions as participants, coaches or supervisors. It is therefore a personal concern of ours to inspire as many children and young people as possible to experience robotics for themselves.
The WRO CH is affiliated to the Swiss Science Olympiad Association.
The World Robot Olympiad Association, based in Singapore, coordinates the World Robot Olympiad on an international level. Our club has an exclusive contract to organize the WRO in Switzerland.