Detector Building

Welcome to Detector Building! In this event, teams will build a durable ORP or Redox Probe that will accurately measure and display both voltage and the concentrations of NaCl in parts per million from 0 to 5000 ppm of different water samples.

The information below should not be interpreted as an extension of the rules. You can find free online copies of the current rules for download on the 2024 Rules page of the Science Olympiad website. The official rules in the current Rules Manual take precedence. This event is generously supported by Texas Instruments.

Resources & Links

• Rules Clarification Issued (09/14/23)
• Detector Building Article from Texas Instruments - This article details changes to the event for 2022 as well offers some tips on preparing your device.
• Detector Building Webinar Recording from Texas Instruments - Getting Started, Resources & How-to's
• Build It with TI: Science Olympiad blog post
• Check out the TI STEM Projects website for Science Olympiad activities like Detector Building
• Sample Activities from Texas Instruments
  • That's Cool
  • Mood Lamp
  • Blink
• Info on Texas Instruments educator workshops
• Information about Arduino microcontrollers
• How to use breadboards
• Information about LEDs

SO Store & Ward's Science Materials 

• Detector Building Digital Download DVD
• 2023 National Test Packet
• 2022 National Test Packet
• Official Ward's Science Science Olympiad kit for Detector Building

Texas Instruments makes material available to Science Olympiad teams through their Educator Loan program. Teams interested in borrowing equipment to practice with learn more about this program here.

Practice Problems & Tests

Current Topic Tests

• Coming soon!

Previous Topic Tests - Mass & Forces

• Practice Test - 2023 Columbia University Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 University of Michigan Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 MIT Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 Northmont Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 Ohio State University Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 Carolina Science Olympiad Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 UT Austin Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 Rickards Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 Highlands Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 BullSO Invitational

Previous Topic Tests - Conductivity

• Practice Test - 2022 National Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 SOLVI Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 MIT Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 Northwestern Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 UChicago Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 UT Austin Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 BirdSO Invitational

Event Supervisor Resources

In addition to the resources on the Event Supervisors page, Detector Building Event Supervisors should be sure to use the following resources:

• 2024 Score Sheet and Team Checklist
• Event Logistics Manual
• Event Supervisor Guide
• Legal & Illegal Sensor Examples

Career Connections

• STEM Session on Circuits
• CareerOneStop: Electrical Engineers
• CareerOneStop - Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists Career Video
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Electrical and Electronics Engineers