Flanked by robot mascots are (back row, from left) UniKL Malaysia France Institute campus head/dean Assoc Prof Dr Tengku Mohd Azahar Tuan Dir, Robotique Society president Muhammd Zaki Kamaruzzaman, UniKL Center for Research and Innovation director Prof Dr Mohd Khairil Rahmat, Mohd Nazri and Prof Azman, together with winners from Indonesia for the category of Line Following Robot.
A TOTAL of 140 teams, including 21 from overseas, battled it out in the three-day UniKL International Robattle Competition (UIRC) 2023 at UniKL MFI, Bangi.
The competition was organised by the UniKL Robotics and Industrial Automation Center (URIAC) and the Robotique Society of UniKL Malaysia France Institute.
It received funding from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) under the “TVET Collaboration Hub (TCH) Institusi TVET@KKDW” programme.
The Robattle competition attracted participation from local and international institutions who competed in four categories namely Robot Combat, Line Following Robot, Sumo Robot, and Innovation.
Robot Combat was the main category in which specially designed combat robots competed against each other, while the Line Following Robot and Sumo Robot categories tested the agility and speed of the robots.
The Innovation category was introduced to foster a generation skilled in solving problems using out-of-the-box thinking.
The main objective of this competition was to provide exposure to the field of mechatronic engineering technology and robotic automation to all levels of society, as well as to provide opportunities to test creativity and intelligence in creating robots that meet specified requirements.
The competition also exposed students to real challenges in the field of engineering and aimed to develop an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The competition also featured the participation of several key players in the automation and robotics industry in Malaysia, such as Sensata Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, Xlent Innovator Sdn Bhd, Mechabotics Technology Sdn Bhd, and others. It aimed to introduce the latest robotic technology to all attendees to support the Industrial Revolution 4.0 in Malaysia.
The closing ceremony was officiated by Universiti Kuala Lumpur acting president and chief executive officer Assoc Prof Dr Azman Senin.
He emphasised the importance of programmes like this being organised as part of the agenda to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Malaysia, with the involvement of the government, industry, and TVET institutions.
Also present were KKDW corporate and skills development division secretary Mohd Nazri Mohd Deni, as well as the delegation and strategic partners of the TVET Collaboration Hub.
