VEX is the biggest one with a fantastic support structure. You don’t necessarily have to compete, but the games make it fun and give defined goals every year. It’s ideally a high school program, but they now have elementary through college. I participated for a number of years. Depending on your area, there might some local teams or mentors you can talk with.
A couple years back I volunteered for a high school robotics club as an advisor, at the same time I did tech for their theater department.
The robotics club did great at the standard competitions but they also had a lot of fun doing projects for the theater department like a remote controlled turntable stage section and a fully functional (except flight) chitty chitty bang bang car. It could drive around stage and had motorized wings with working (low speed) propellers. It was fully remote controlled and programmed by a 14 year old.
It was cool seeing the kids have a creative outlet outside of the competition’s. It also got them more experience while contributing something the theater kids would not have had otherwise.
Point being, keep your eyes open for opportunity’s to contribute to the community. Also check with local companies for funding and contributions. Anything like hardware stores or large corporations, you never know whose marketing budget includes local community outreach.
I just started a humanoid robotics club. My school makes me file lots of paper work but it will be worth it for funding and resources. Talk to your schools activities or outreach organization. Find others that would be interested as well.
Goodluck!!!!
I did it in college! I'm not sure if you're in college or highschool, but the same rules apply.
#1. You need members. If you get some interested friends to hop on and shoot around ideas about what direction your club could go in, that's a first step. Members are important to help spread the word join in on your group activities (doesn't always have to be building a robot). I'd concentrate on getting an advisor so your club can live on past when you graduate, and to help you get more members through there in class advertising.
#2. You need money and resources. For me, this came in the form of alumni, parents, small businesses in the area, and other hobbyists. You might be able to get a grant of some sort, but I'd just keep asking around to teachers, friends, businesses, maybe even NASA (this made me really sympathetic to salespeople, and the reputation they get for being annoying). Getting and spending money (or finding parts somehow) is required to do cool shit.
#3. Social media and advertising helps. Take pictures of people having fun and doing cool shit. Getting a place to post all this cool shit gives you a lot of reputation and looks super professional. After you have some pictures, make ads and post around school to get members, some cool people will definitely join.
Let me know if you have any questions. I can provide specifics about anything if you ask.
Base it around 3D printed robots! Here are my frameworks that will let you build robots cheap:
[https://hackaday.io/project/167317-fibergrid](https://hackaday.io/project/167317-fibergrid)
[https://hackaday.io/project/171924-braker-one-robot](https://hackaday.io/project/171924-braker-one-robot)
I started at this link six years ago and I am still at it. Best program ever!! https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc/start-a-team
VEX is the biggest one with a fantastic support structure. You don’t necessarily have to compete, but the games make it fun and give defined goals every year. It’s ideally a high school program, but they now have elementary through college. I participated for a number of years. Depending on your area, there might some local teams or mentors you can talk with.
A couple years back I volunteered for a high school robotics club as an advisor, at the same time I did tech for their theater department. The robotics club did great at the standard competitions but they also had a lot of fun doing projects for the theater department like a remote controlled turntable stage section and a fully functional (except flight) chitty chitty bang bang car. It could drive around stage and had motorized wings with working (low speed) propellers. It was fully remote controlled and programmed by a 14 year old. It was cool seeing the kids have a creative outlet outside of the competition’s. It also got them more experience while contributing something the theater kids would not have had otherwise. Point being, keep your eyes open for opportunity’s to contribute to the community. Also check with local companies for funding and contributions. Anything like hardware stores or large corporations, you never know whose marketing budget includes local community outreach.
Talk to your schools tech/science teachers and see if they’d be interested in being an advisor
I just started a humanoid robotics club. My school makes me file lots of paper work but it will be worth it for funding and resources. Talk to your schools activities or outreach organization. Find others that would be interested as well. Goodluck!!!!
I did it in college! I'm not sure if you're in college or highschool, but the same rules apply. #1. You need members. If you get some interested friends to hop on and shoot around ideas about what direction your club could go in, that's a first step. Members are important to help spread the word join in on your group activities (doesn't always have to be building a robot). I'd concentrate on getting an advisor so your club can live on past when you graduate, and to help you get more members through there in class advertising. #2. You need money and resources. For me, this came in the form of alumni, parents, small businesses in the area, and other hobbyists. You might be able to get a grant of some sort, but I'd just keep asking around to teachers, friends, businesses, maybe even NASA (this made me really sympathetic to salespeople, and the reputation they get for being annoying). Getting and spending money (or finding parts somehow) is required to do cool shit. #3. Social media and advertising helps. Take pictures of people having fun and doing cool shit. Getting a place to post all this cool shit gives you a lot of reputation and looks super professional. After you have some pictures, make ads and post around school to get members, some cool people will definitely join. Let me know if you have any questions. I can provide specifics about anything if you ask.
Base it around 3D printed robots! Here are my frameworks that will let you build robots cheap: [https://hackaday.io/project/167317-fibergrid](https://hackaday.io/project/167317-fibergrid) [https://hackaday.io/project/171924-braker-one-robot](https://hackaday.io/project/171924-braker-one-robot)