Event Schedule:
8:30-9:30 Registration
9:30-10:15 Workshop 1
10:15-11:00 Workshop 2
11:00-12:00 Lunch and Demos
12:00-12:45 Workshop 3
12:45-1:30 Workshop 4
1:30-2:15 Battle of the Brains Awards/ Demos
BATTLE OF THE BRAINS
Students from the STAR LEGOŠ Robotics program will be competing in the ultimate Battle of the Brains with the sumo-bots they’ve designed and engineered!
In this year's Battle of the Brains competition, students from across Southern California will come together to see who can engineer the ultimate sumo-bot! Applying their knowledge about physics, collisions, and systems analysis, students will design, build, and test their creations against the brightest minds STAR has to offer. Come see the exciting conclusion to weeks of planning and testing! Who will be the ultimate champion?
EVENT FAQs - Please Read!
How much does this exciting event cost?
$20 for each child in the general public.
$10 for each child participating in BotB.
Where is this event located?
STAR Resource Station
10117 Jefferson Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
What is this event about?
A festival of the mind! Celebrating all things STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) related! Students will get to participate in 4 of our amazing STEAMlabs, ride a hovercraft, don a sumo suit, and watch a LEGO robotics competition! Parents are encouraged to participate with their children!
What does my $20 get me throughout the day?
4 STEAMlabs, plus a bunch of awesome freebies such as LEGO Gravity Cars, Sumo Suits, Remote Controlled Car Maze, Hovercraft, and more!
How does lunch work?
We will have lunch and snacks available for purchase on-site.
What do I do if my child is a BotB competitor?
Make sure your child has formed a team of 2-4 with other students at their school.
Register at steam.starinc.org.
Check in at 8:30am!
Bring the energy!
Can I join the competition without taking the NOVA class?
Unfortunately no. This competition is the culmination of their 8 week class.
What ages are appropriate for the event?
Grades 2-8. Ages 6-12. If your child is in Kinder or 1stgrade and interested in coming to the event, please contact us!
Can I leave my child with you guys and go run errands?
Unfortunately no. Children must be accompanied by parents.
Does my child have to stay the whole time?
Nope! Unless your child is a competitor in Battle of the Brains, you are free to come and go whenever you'd like!
Online registration is closed. Space is still available at the door. Please scroll down for S.T.E.A.M. Lab descriptions & check out the FAQ before registering!
SIGN UP FOR YOUR FAVORITE SET OF CLASSES TODAY!
TICKET A: TEAM ANDROMEDA
LABS INCLUDE:
Rocketry
Since the invention of the rocket hundreds of years ago, people have devoted their lives to making them faster, more powerful and farther flying. Now it’s your turn to experiment with rockets and see if you can make one from scratch that can beat the competition. Compete in categories like highest flying, most creative and best design.
Survivor Domes
You never know what life is going dish out. Maybe you’ll get shipwrecked on a desert island; find yourself on the run from alien teachers; lost in the woods; stranded in the jungle; or maybe you’ll be in charge of rebuilding civilization after mutant guinea pigs try and take over the world. Whatever the reason, every adventurer needs to know how to build a hideout in a hurry. Here is your perfect opportunity to learn how to build a quick and easy, geodesic dome shelter that is energy efficient and can withstand gale force winds.
Circuitry
Robots need to have power, and robots need to move! How lucky is it that electric generators and electric motors are, for all intents and purposes, the same machine? Study the fascinating contraption harnessed in the Hoover Dam by using manpower (that is, kid power) to run a simple light bulb - then turn that contraption around and see how it can run your motors at home! And the best part? Do it with parts that can be found anywhere!
Forced Perspective Art
Ever wanted to see art from a different angle? Learn about forced perspective drawings and the way our mind works in this Neuroscience-oriented take on the science behind art. Students will learn about optical illusions and how our brain really sees.
TICKET B: TEAM BETELGEUSE
LABS INCLUDE:
Future of Cars
Hello Engineers! Have you ever wanted to design your own car of the future? Go through a super quick example of the automobile design process, model your own car out of plasticine (what they use!) and test it in our wind tunnel for aerodynamics! If you’re excited about cars and exploring the future of personal transportation, this is the lab for you!
Turing Test
Scientists have been asking themselves three questions: "What makes a robot?" "What makes a robot's mind?" and "What makes a robot's mind tick?" Study human answers to that third question with STAR's roboticists as they take you to visit the winners of past Turing tests - the true test of artificial intelligence! Learn about the triumphs and mistakes of would-be AI by chatting with them - then, administer the Turing test to one of our STAR roboticists to tell the difference between him and the robots!
Toy Lab
Do you love toys? Do you enjoy figuring out how things work? Step into the STAR Toy Laboratory! Learn more about how toys work as you create a delta-wing glider, a balancing bobble and your own super wild bouncy ball! Let STAR make toys even more fun!
Kid Vs. Wild
Worried about the apocalypse? Lost in the woods? Need a hideout? Experience the art of creating remedies out of natural materials to help package your wounds. Learn how to operate various filtration systems and gain knowledge of ratios to keep your water clean and healthy while avoiding zombies.