IEOM Robotics Competition
IEOM Robo Competition (Middle, High School and College)
Design • Build • Bring • Demonstrate
Sponsored by: Sponsor Opportunity Available
Website: https://ieomsociety.org/panama2026/robotics-competition/
Registration Link: https://www.xcdsystem.com/IEOM/attendee/index.cfm?ID=sejdN9d
The IEOM Robo Competition is a hands-on STEM competition for middle school and high school students that recognizes outstanding student-designed robots addressing real-world engineering and societal challenges.
Teams will design, build, program, and test their robots at their schools or home before bringing them to the IEOM Panama 2026 Conference for a live demonstration and presentation. Robots should be developed around the conference theme and demonstrate innovation, engineering design, creativity, and problem-solving.
Projects will be evaluated based on both the robot demonstration and the team’s presentation during the IEOM Panama 2026 Conference, August 4–6, 2026.
Winning teams will receive award certificates during the IEOM Panama 2026 Awards Ceremony.
Theme: Smart Robotic Solutions for a Better World
Teams are encouraged to develop robotic solutions in one of the following areas:
- Smart Manufacturing
- Warehouse & Logistics Automation
- Healthcare Robotics
- Agricultural Robotics
- Environmental Sustainability
- Disaster Response & Rescue
- Smart Cities
- Community Service
- Education
- Assistive Technologies
Competition Format
Each team will:
- Select a robotics theme.
- Design and build an original working robot.
- Program and test the robot before the conference.
- Bring the completed robot to the IEOM Panama Conference.
- Demonstrate the robot live before the judges.
- Give a 5–10 minute presentation explaining the design, programming, innovation, and impact.
- Answer questions from the judging panel.
Eligibility Criteria
- Open to Middle School (Grades 6–8), High School (Grades 9–12) and College students.
- Teams may consist of 2–5 students.
- Each team must have one teacher, coach, or mentor.
- Robots may be built using any educational robotics platform or custom-built system.
- The robot design and programming should primarily be completed by the student team.
- Each team must attend the IEOM Panama 2026 Conference to present and demonstrate their robot.
Recommended Robot Platforms
Teams may use any educational robotics platform, including:
- LEGO® SPIKE Prime
- LEGO® Mindstorms
- VEX IQ
- VEX V5
- Arduino
- Raspberry Pi
- micro:bit
- Makeblock
- FTC/FRC Robots
- Custom-built robots
IEOM Robo Competition Rubrics
| Evaluation Criteria | Points |
| Innovation & Creativity | 1–5 |
| Engineering Design | 1–5 |
| Robot Functionality & Performance | 1–5 |
| Programming & Automation | 1–5 |
| Technical Presentation | 1–5 |
| Teamwork & Communication | 1–5 |
| Response to Judges’ Questions | 1–5 |
Judging
A panel of university professors, robotics experts, engineers, and industry professionals will evaluate each team’s project using the official IEOM Robo Competition scoring rubric.
Awards
Winning teams will receive:
- 🥇 First Place Award Certificate
- 🥈 Second Place Award Certificate
- 🥉 Third Place Award Certificate
Special Awards
- 🏆 Grand Champion
- 🥇 Gold
- 🥈 Silver
- 🥉 Bronze
- Best Robot Design
- Best Programming
- Best Innovation
- Best Engineering Solution
- Best Teamwork
- Best Presentation
- Judges’ Choice Award
Demonstration Requirements
Each team must bring:
- Their completed robot
- Controller or laptop (if required)
- Power supply and batteries
- Poster or display board (optional)
- Engineering notebook or project summary (recommended)
Each team will be provided with a demonstration area and presentation time during the conference.
Project Guidelines
Teams should prepare a 2–4 page Project Summary describing:
- Problem Statement
- Robot Design
- Hardware Components
- Programming Approach
- Testing and Results
- Innovation
- Real-World Applications
Project summaries will be included in the conference program and may be featured on the IEOM Society website.
Winners
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place teams will receive award certificates during the IEOM Panama 2026 Awards Ceremony.
Sponsor
Sponsor Opportunity Available
Organizations supporting STEM education, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, and engineering are invited to sponsor the IEOM Robo Competition. Sponsor recognition includes logo placement on promotional materials, the conference website, and the awards ceremony.
Contact: info@ieomsociety.org.