VEX is an international robotics competition where student teams design, build, program, and drive robots to complete a new engineering challenge each season. Teams compete on a 12-by-12-foot field, where robots must score game objects, navigate obstacles, and work through both autonomous and driver-controlled periods.

VEX U is the university-level division of the competition. Compared with the school-level program, VEX U gives teams more design freedom, including larger robots, custom manufactured parts, advanced sensors, external processing, and more complex software. Teams are responsible for the full engineering process: strategy, CAD, manufacturing, electronics, programming, testing, driving, and competition operations.

OBR is Barker Alumni Robotics’ VEX U team. It gives Barker robotics alumni a pathway to continue competing beyond school while developing practical engineering skills in design, manufacturing, software, strategy, teamwork, and project management. Through mentoring and event support, the team also helps strengthen Barker’s school-level VEX program and gives current students a clear link between school robotics and university-level engineering.