The Competition
The BEST competition was created by two Texas Intruments engineers in 1993. The first competition only included 14 schools. Since then, however, the competition has grown substantially and now includes over 850 schools and 18,000 students around the country.
Every year, BEST designs a new challenge for high school students to tackle. Each school is provided with a kit of materials. The teams are restricted to this kit and cannot use any other materials to build with. The kits usually include PVC, wood, motors, screws, and other miscellaneous items.
The goal of BEST is to encourage high school sudents in the field of engineering, science, and technology. Through the season, students find out what a career in engineering is like and find practical uses for math and physics. They also acquire life skills in leadership, decision making, and communication.
In response to the BEST organization's INCISION DECISION challenge, the Wichita Homeschool Robotics Company has developed a running robot designed to assist surgeons in performing surgeries within a simulated environment, including intricate tasks such as removing faulty heart valves, installing artificial ones, and eliminating plaque from veins. This initiative holds great promise for improving patient safety by minimizing surgical errors, accelerating recovery, and reducing medical complications. It also provides a valuable training tool for healthcare professionals, contributes to medical research and innovation, and enhances healthcare accessibility by streamlining surgical procedures, potentially leading to significant improvements in public health and the quality of healthcare.
