During the new VEX AIM Coding Robot demo, I showcased the many capabilities and interactions you can experience with the robot! I was able to show students and educators that this is not just a robot, but like my little buddy you can interact and play with—opening the door to limitless creative possibilities. I saw people’s faces light up with surprise and happiness as they played with the robot, even before using the coding app. Many were amazed by the AI Vision feature, watching the robot find the objects provided and kick the sports ball over and over, sending it flying across the entire board. These playful interactions sparked a flood of new ideas, with many educators and students eager to create their own activities for the robot, such as having it solve a maze on its own or developing a game around it.
While the VEX AIM Coding Robot is incredibly fun to play with even before diving into coding, I also helped educators and students understand the Switch block feature and how it plays a key role within some of the major blocks in VEX AIM. Python code can seem daunting at first, but with AIM, the Switch blocks provide a deeper understanding of how these structures work, breaking the notion that the block coding is not just a mysterious “black box” of magic code. I was elated and energized as I showed how Switch blocks can help younger students ease their way into Python coding while still keeping the simplicity of block-based programming. Educators and students alike told me, “Wow, I can definitely use these Switch blocks more to get into Python coding!” Hearing this filled me with excitement, knowing we’re helping bridge the gap to Python and empowering them to create their own fun projects and programs.
My first time at VEX Worlds was a blast, and I never had a dull moment showing off the AIM robot and the Switch blocks! Being able to “nerd out” about what I’ve been developing, and seeing people become genuinely interested in these two aspects, truly brought me joy as I talked with everyone who stopped by. 
You can read more about everyone else’s experiences in the Reflections from the 2025 VEX Robotics Educators Conference!
