Detector Building

Detector Building is a Division C featured trial event at the 2019 National Tournament. It was also run at various 2019 state tournaments, including North Carolina and Florida. In this event, students are required to build a sensor or detector that fits the parameters outlined in the rules.

The Event
In the 2019 season, participants are required to build a temperature sensing device that accurately measures and displays temperatures from 0 C to 100 C using a microcontroller board such as an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi. Teams are also required to submit a Design Log including a picture or schematic, a practice log with a minimum of 10 trials, an equation modeling the data, and an explanation of the device's programming. All items must be impounded, with the exception of tools. The sensing device is tested at four different stations, where it must measure the temperature of the water and display the temperature zone using colored LED indicators. The device may be connected to a laptop, but it must withstand the temperatures it could possibly be subjected to.

A test is also given at the event over the theories behind it. The test has 10-15 questions, and is used as a tiebreaker. Questions can be about electricity (voltage, resistance, etc.), how an LED works, calibration, or construction parameters. The test questions can be answered at any time during the event.

Scoring
The team with the highest Total Score wins. A team's score is based off of how accurate their device is and whether or not they have a complete design log. Having a device impounded before the event gives the team 50 points, and a complete Design Log gives 40 points. 80 points total are possible at the stations, with 20 points per station. 10 points are based off of how accurate the sensor is when displaying the temperature, and 10 points are possible based off of the accuracy of the temperature zone. Ties are broken using a team's score on the 10-15 question test.