The Engineering Notebook in VEX Robotics Competitions

Overview

What is the Engineering Notebook?

In VEX Robotics competitions, teams maintain a comprehensive record of their entire engineering journey called an Engineering Notebook (often shortened to just "Notebook"). Think of it as a detailed diary that captures everything from initial brainstorming and design decisions to testing results and lessons learned throughout the season.

Teams can document their work either in a traditional physical notebook or using digital tools like Google Docs or Google Slides. The Notebook serves as proof of the team's engineering process and is essential for earning certain prestigious awards at competitions.

Digital Submission Requirements

Most competitions today require teams to submit their Notebooks in digital format. If a team keeps a physical notebook, they must scan or photograph the pages and convert them to PDF before the competition.

Rather than uploading files directly, teams submit a URL (web link) to their Notebook. This allows judges to access the document online for review.

Privacy and Access Considerations

The Notebook submission process involves an important privacy challenge:

  • Teams do not know which specific judges will review their Notebook
  • Without knowing the judges' email addresses in advance, teams cannot restrict access to specific individuals
  • Instead, teams must share their Notebook using a "view-only" link that works for anyone who has it
  • This means tracking who views the Notebook is extremely limited

The Review Process

Here's how Notebooks move from teams to judges:

  1. Teams submit their Notebook URL to the event partner (the organization hosting the competition)
  2. The event partner shares these URLs with the judge advisor
  3. The judge advisor distributes the links to the judges who will evaluate them

Confidentiality

Engineering Notebooks contain sensitive information about team strategies, designs, and innovations. These documents should remain highly confidential and be accessed only by authorized judges, and only for the specific purpose of judging within the designated timeframe—from the submission deadline through the completion of the awards process for that competition.

The Problem

In recent years, there have been unfortunate incidents where Notebook URLs have been leaked—either to the public or to competing teams. These breaches compromise the confidentiality of team innovations and can give unfair competitive advantages to those who gain unauthorized access.

Some leaks were discovered and reported to VEX, while others went undetected, with teams unaware their confidential work had been exposed. Our team has been a victim of both types of leaks.

The most publicly documented incident occurred at the 2025 New Jersey High Stakes States competition, where Notebook URLs were leaked. However, this represents only the known cases—the true extent of the problem, including silent leaks, remains unknown.

Even when leaks occur during a competition, the impact extends beyond that single event. While competitors may not benefit immediately at the same competition, they can incorporate stolen ideas and strategies into subsequent competitions within the same season or in future seasons.

My Unique Solution

I've developed a solution that addresses the security vulnerabilities in the Notebook submission process:

Enhanced Security Features:

  • Custom Short URLs: Generate unique, trackable short URLs for your Notebook to submit to competitions, rather than using standard Google Drive or other platform links
  • Comprehensive View Tracking: Monitor all Notebook views with detailed logs that capture when, where, and how your Notebook is accessed
  • Device Restrictions: Optionally block viewing from mobile devices to limit unauthorized access
  • Evidence Collection: Automatically collect evidence of suspicious viewing activity, such as access from multiple locations or devices, which can be used when filing complaints with competition organizers or VEX

This approach gives teams control and visibility over who accesses their confidential work, while maintaining compliance with competition submission requirements.

How is This Different from URL Shorteners like TinyURL?

While standard URL shorteners simply redirect users to the original link, this solution offers multiple advanced protection methods:

Multiple Redirection Methods:

  1. Standard Redirect: Like TinyURL, this option redirects to your Notebook, with the actual URL visible in the browser address bar
  2. Document Embedding: Your Notebook is displayed within a secure viewer that hides the actual Notebook URL. The system uses multiple layers of encryption to protect your document's location, making it extremely difficult for anyone to discover the original link
  3. API Method (planned): A future option that will provide the highest level of security, making it virtually impossible to extract the original URL

Mobile Device Protection: Engineering Notebooks are designed to be reviewed on larger screens, especially during the judging process. If someone clicks your link on a mobile device like a smartphone, the system logs the attempt and blocks access—providing evidence of potential unauthorized viewing.

Cost: This solution is completely free for all VEX competition teams.