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WPI XRP Medal Challenge

The WPI XRP Medal Challenge invites educators, students, and innovators to push the limits of the XRP platform. If you’ve ever thought, “What else could this robot become?”, this is your opportunity to build it, document it, and share it with the world. This challenge is sponsored by:

Expand the boundaries of the XRP robotics platform and win 30 robots to fuel STEM education in your community. 

The Challenge: 

The Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP) was designed to make STEM, especially robotics and automation, education accessible across the globe. Now, we want to see how you can take it even further. 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), in collaboration with SparkFun, DigiKey, Raspberry Pi, 3D Printing Nerd, and Experiential, invites robotics teams, educators, hobbyists and anyone else to participate in the WPI XRP Medal Challenge. We are looking for innovative projects that expand what the XRP can do—and more importantly, how it can be used to teach and inspire others to imagine and build impactful projects. 

Your entry should focus on: 

  • Innovative Physical Builds: Redesign or create attachments that give the XRP new "superpowers"

  • The Qwiic Ecosystem: Leverage SparkFun’s Qwiic connect system to integrate sensors, displays, or other accessories seamlessly

  • Impactful Design: How does your modification make robotics more accessible and exciting – will it inspire others to build something? Does your project have the potential to help your community in some way?   

Judging Criteria:  

Our panel of judges from WPI faculty, SparkFun, DigiKey, Raspberry Pi, and 3D Printing Nerd will evaluate submissions based on four key pillars: 

  • Impact: Inspires and motivates others to build and get engaged in STEM; helps the (your) community in some way

  • Innovation: Creative and original use of XRP and the Qwiic ecosystem; potential for your project to solve real problems

  • Scalability: Potential for your project to be replicated or expanded  

  • Documentation: Clarity, completeness, and usability of your project write-up – be sure to include a compelling narrative, images, at least one video, and clear instructions 

Prizes: 

The XRP Medal Winner 

  • Trophy printed by 3D Printing Nerd

  • 30 XRP Robots Sponsored by WPI

  • Raspberry Pi 400 Personal Computer Kit Sponsored by Raspberry Pi

  • $100 Sensor and Cable Bundle Sponsored by SparkFun

  • $50 DigiKey Product Voucher Sponsored by DigiKey

  • Project featured on SparkFun blog; callouts in sponsor social channels

  • Swag Bag  

Three XRP Medal Winner Runners Up 

  • Trophy printed by 3D Printing Nerd

  • $50 Sensor and Cable Bundle Sponsored by SparkFun

  • $25 DigiKey Product Voucher Sponsored by DigiKey

  • Project featured on SparkFun blog; callouts in sponsor social channels 

  • Swag Bag

Official Rules - Read before entering contest

How to Submit: 

  1. Build and publish your project in Instructables using these guidelines.

  2. Let us know you submitted by filling out this form. 

  3. That’s it!! 

Timeline: 

  • Open for Submission:  Now!
  • Submission Window Closes:  August 31, 2026 at 11:59pm Mountain Time
  • Award Notification & Annoucement: October 15, 2026 

Judges 

  • Nicholas Greeley, Senior Associate Director - Robotics Resource Center, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

  • Dryw Wade, Senior Electronics Engineer, SparkFun

  • Travis Foss, Senior Technical Marketing Specialist, DigiKey

  • Samantha Snyder, Strategic Partnerships - Americas, Raspberry Pi

  • 3D Printing Nerd Staff 

Why Participate? 

  • Showcase your work to a global STEM and robotics audience 

  • Contribute to open, shareable learning resources 

  • Expand access to robotics education  

  • Gain recognition from WPI, SparkFun, DigiKey, Raspberry Pi, 3D Printing Nerd and other industry leaders

  • Have fun building something awesome!

Need Materials?

We can’t wait to see how you expand what XRP can do!