While at SXSW at the weekend, Google hosted an all-day Lego Mindstorms hackathon on Sunday to see who could built the best all-terrain Lego robot.

Here's the robot testing out the course

My design focus was pretty simple – I only had an afternoon so couldn’t go all out on decoration too (it would also have slowed it down!). The idea was to keep it as small and light as possible (somewhat hindered by the massive motor housings and horrendously heavy battery for the logic unit) and with the centre of gravity as low as possible. Tracks were also an obvious choice for me as while they were slower than the wheels, they gave significantly more control and could allow the robot to climb over anything the course forced in its way. An additional benefit was they were positioned just correctly so that the robot could run on its front (with some extra pieces to stop it falling on its back).

Here are some videos of the victories. Right at the bottom is the full 90-minute tape of the live show. Skip to 1hr 25mins to see their cut of the final battle.

Thanks to James Jardine of Qiqqa for recording and his (mostly) pleasant commentary, and Alesis for his “technical analysis” and cheering so loudly the Google people told them to be quiet

First up, Round 1:

Round 2:

And the final (which got a bit hairy towards the end):

Full 90 minutes show:

Imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems

This is the bold calling of the 2010 Imagine Cup, Microsoft’s worldwide student technology competition. Aimed at students just like you the whole world over, the aim of the Software Design competition is to give you the opportunity to revolutionise how technology enhances our lives.

Big Goals. Huge Challenges.

The aims of the Software Design aspect of the Imagine Cup are massive – address the UN Millennium Development Goals with software and technology. This includes addressing issues related to hunger relief; poverty; education; disease control; healthcare; the environment; and other challenges facing our world today.

End Hunger. Cure Diseases. Bring Relief.

The UN Millennium Development Goals are wide-ranging and affect every corner of the world. All of them can be addressed with technology, and the Imagine Cup offers students the opportunity to prove this, and their own prowess, on a global stage.

Get Started Now.

Start making a difference today, and get started on those world-changing applications. Signup for the remaining open competitions; you can find out more information on the Imagine Cup website. Why not get started now?

And if you needed a further incentive, Microsoft will be donating money to the charities they are working with this year when you sign up. So go ahead and do it today!

Look out for more posts in the coming days for more on the Imagine Cup, what Imagine Cup 2009 was like, and top tips for Imagine Cup 2010 – keep your eyes on the Imagine Cup category

Sign up for the Imagine Cup today!