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IEEE Region 6 is hosting a contest for students to build an inverted pendulum. Students are allowed (and encouraged) to use any design they find online, but deploy their own algorithms to stabilize their prototype and compete for prizes.
The goal of the competition is not to have students build a unique pendulum from scratch, but to learn/apply their knowledge of control theory to a physical prototype.
For inspiration on how to build a mobile inverted pendulum, there are resources online, such as:
– (https://www.instructables.com/Inverted-Pendulum-Control-Theory-and-Dynamics/)
For help and support while building the project, join the (https://discord.gg/WT52Kt84f8)
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How to Enter
The competition has 2 phases:
– Phase 1: Submit the (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1u1yG05ui_zvX7cl6QODSHRuRCcAy6gZi_Kf-Wo-EQnA/edit) by August 8, 2026.
– Phase 2: Completed project deadline by September 6, 2026.
– *Optional weekly updates submissions by August 15, 22, and 29.
Please submit the following in the final submission (separate form will be sent to teams that have expressed interest):
– An uninterrupted, < 3 minute video introducing the individual/team behind the project and showing how the project performs under the relevant judging metric.
– A public GitHub repository containing the control logic and a README.md that explains how to run the code.
– A 3-5 page PDF stating the judging metric values, detailing the control theory used and how the prototype was built.
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Review the Challenges, Prizes, Timeline, Rules, and FAQ on the website.
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/571588
