Each year, the IQ Hero Bot is designed from the VEX IQ Competition Starter Kit (2nd Generation) to provide teams with a starting point to play the current VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC) game. Hero Bots are designed using the Competition Kit pieces in a way that ensures the robot can be disassembled at the end of the season and made into the next Hero Bot with the same Kit. Experienced teams are able to quickly assemble a robot to investigate the game's dynamics. New teams can also use the Hero Bot to learn valuable building skills and have a robot they can customize to compete with early in the season.
The 2024-2025 VIQRC Game is Rapid Relay. View this page for more information on the game and how it is played. This season's Hero Bot to play Rapid Relay is Swish. You can view Swish’s build instructions for more information.
For game definitions used throughout this article, and even more detailed information about the game rules and scoring, view the Game Manual for Rapid Relay.
Scoring Capabilities
Targets
Swish scores points by using its Catapult to launch plush Balls into Targets on the Wall in the game Field. Each Target has one Switch in its center. Each goal that Swish makes is worth 1 point, and the first time the Ball passes through the Target, it will clear the Switch. Each cleared Switch is worth an additional point.
Passing
Swish can score additional points by using its Catapult to pass a Ball to the alliance robot before using the Ball to score a goal. Each pass made during the match is worth additional points based on how many Switches in the Targets are cleared at the end of the match.
Design Features
Swish is designed to be quick to build and easy to drive. As a starting point for your competition robot, Swish is designed to help students, teachers, and coaches quickly complete a robot to begin understanding the game. Swish is not designed to be very competitive and cannot perform every task in the Rapid Relay game.
The robot has several key features that enable it to complete some of the tasks in the Rapid Relay game:
2-Motor Direct Drive Drivetrain
Swish has a four wheel, two motor, 2-wheel drive drivetrain. This drivetrain enables Swish to easily maneuver around the Rapid Relay Field. The drivetrain is designed to be nimble, allowing Swish to quickly chase Balls on the Field.
Each motor powers one side of the base, and the motors power the front wheels, making this a front-wheel drive robot.
For more information on drivetrains, view this article from the VEX Library.
Omni-Directional Wheels
Swish's four wheels are Omni-Directional. These wheels have rollers around the circumference of the wheel, allowing the wheels to roll both forwards and backwards, as well as left and right. Omni-Directional Wheels enable Swish to complete quick and easy turns while lining up to a Ball.
Intake
Swish’s intake pivots up and over Balls, maintaining contact until the Ball is stowed safely by the robot. The intake’s design has been incredibly successful in both IQ and V5 competition games. This component consists of a rubber band roller and is powered by Swish’s third motor to rapidly capture Balls.
Catapult
Swish launches Balls into goals and passes Balls using a rubber band-powered Catapult. The Catapult is powered by Swish's fourth motor, which uses a win strum and string to reset the Catapult after every shot.
Controlling Swish
The Drive Program built in the IQ Brain is compatible with Swish's drivetrain motors, but can be improved. For example, using sensors, Swish could operate autonomously according to a specific action or object detected.
While the default Drive Program built in the IQ Brain can be used to control the two drivetrain motors, the program does not account for the Catapult. This is because the default Drive Program cannot control motor groups. Therefore, you will need to create your own code to control the two motors that power the Catapult.
To control the Drivetrain, Catapult, and Intake of Swish, you can also open and download the Switch template in VEXcode IQ. This automatically configures the mechanisms so that when you download and run the project, everything can be controlled with the controller.
The default Drive mode for Swish is Tank drive. In Tank Drive, each joystick on the controller controls the movement of one motor. To change the drive mode, follow the steps in this article, then download and run the updated project on your VEX IQ Brain.
Modifying Swish
There are several ways that you might consider modifying Swish to improve the robot’s performance:
Consider tuning the Catapult to increase its shot power, or adjusting the throw of the Catapult. You could also experiment with different wheel types to see which wheels navigate obstacles more easily or provide better traction. You can also add sensors to enable the robot make certain decisions based on detected actions or objects.
Adding Your License Plate
<R9> of the VIQRC Rapid Relay Game Manual states the following:
“To participate in an official VEX IQ Robotics Competition Event, a Team must first register on robotevents.com and receive a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team Number.
Teams may choose to use the official VEX IQ Robotics Competition License Plate (VEX Part Number 228-7401), or may create their own custom License Plates. This Team number must be legibly displayed on at least two (2) VEX IQ Robotics Competition License Plates on opposing sides of the Robot.
The image to the left shows one possible mounting location. The mounting location you choose should abide by <R9> of the Game Manual.
Still not sure where to start? Check out the Getting Started with the 2024-2025 VIQRC Robot Design: Rapid Relay for more information on how to use Swish as a starting point.