Part I — VEX IQ Fundamentals · Chapter 1
Welcome to VEX IQ
What VEX IQ is, and why it's the right place to start.
If you've snapped LEGO bricks together and wondered what happens if you add a wheel, you've already done real engineering. VEX IQ gives that instinct a real platform, and a season with a purpose.
VEX IQ as a Whole
VEX IQ sits in the middle of the VEX progression, past beginner kits, before V5. This is where the real foundational learning happens.
- Modular hardware. Beams, connectors, gears, and motors snap together. No tools beyond what's in the kit.
- Larger-scale parts. More room to see your mechanism work, faster to iterate.
- One brain runs everything. Every motor and sensor connects through a single programmable controller. Wiring and coding it is your first lesson in how machine parts talk to each other.
The Competition
A new game drops every year. Nobody has solved it yet. Beginner or veteran, every team starts from zero on the same day.
- Teamwork Challenge. Two robots, one alliance, 60-second matches. You score together.
- Robot Skills Challenge. Your robot alone against the clock: Driving Skills (you drive) and Autonomous Coding Skills (your code drives).
Culture
VEX IQ is competitive, but the respect between teams is real, rarer at higher levels. Use it while you're here.