Part I — VEX IQ Fundamentals · Chapter 4
Research Skills for Robotics
Where to look, what to watch for, and who to study before you pick up a beam.
I used to think research meant copying the best robot I could find. It does not. Research means understanding why a design works, then building your own version of it. This chapter covers where to look, what to watch for, and who to study before you ever pick up a beam.
Where to Look
1. Reveal Videos
Reveal videos are how teams show off a finished robot, usually with a short build montage cut in with match footage. I search "[season name] VEX IQ reveal" on YouTube at the start of every season to see what other teams built. I watch the build clips frame by frame, not just the matches, and I pause on any mechanism I do not recognize long enough to sketch it.
Search reveal videos on YouTube
Start here at the top of every season, then narrow the search to the current game's name.
2. VEX Forum
The VEX Forum is where the GDC posts official rule clarifications, and where teams from around the world post build threads and ask questions. I search the forum before I post anything, since most questions have already been answered. It is also the fastest way to confirm a rule before an event.
VEX Forum
Official rule clarifications from the GDC, plus build threads from teams worldwide.
3. YouTube Channels
I follow the official VEX Robotics channels for season content, trailers, and game reveals. Beyond the official channels, I subscribe to some specific channels that produce consistent VEX videos such as RoboSTEM or other teams online.
4. Discord Servers
RoboStem is one server I check often, a lively VEX IQ and V5RC community where teams post robot photos and trade ideas. I also search for my own region's VEX Discord, since most states and countries run one. I lurk first and read the pinned messages before I post anything myself.
Why Research Matters
Research is not about copying. It is about understanding why something works before you try to build it yourself, and knowing what to look for once you start watching.
Who to Study
Skip the urge to copy the highest ranked team in the world right away. Teams ranked near the top of your own competition's skills standings are solving the exact field you are solving, which makes their solutions far more useful to you.