AI in action: Low (left) and Rames with their robot.
MALAYSIA’S sole representatives, Thasne Rames, 20, and Low Yinn Ean, 18, both Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering students at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), beat over 5,000 contestants from 31 nations to win first prize at the prestigious Robot Challenge 2024, in Beijing, China.
Established in 2004, the Robot Challenge is one of the premier global competitions for autonomous robots.
Each year, it brings together participants from all five continents to compete in various categories, with events ranging from AI programming to mechanical design. The competition saw Thasne and Low topping the “Puck Collect-Adult” category, a highly challenging event that required a sophisticated blend of sensor technology, mechanical design, and artificial intelligence (AI) as teams were tasked with building a robot capable of locating, collecting and transporting small coloured discs, or “pucks”, in the fastest time possible.
Thasne and Low’s robot, created using Pitsco Tetrix Max and Prime sets and powered by Arduino technology, demonstrated superior functionality and precision in this high-stakes challenge.
The duo’s advanced robot AI system played a critical role in their success, enabling it to detect the precise locations of both the pucks and the home base with remarkable accuracy.
The intelligent integration of these components allowed the robot to operate autonomously and with incredible efficiency, outperforming the competition and securing the top spot.
During the competition, the robot was required to operate on a 250cm x 250cm field, facing off against another robot, each competing to gather all of their assigned pucks and return them to base as quickly as possible.
Held at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium from Aug 9 to 11, the international robotics competition was one of the largest of its kind, attracting more than 300 institutions from across the globe.
The duo, who leveraged on the experience gained from their success at the World of Robotics Championship (WRC) 2023, were mentored by the varsity’s Asia Pacific Centre of Robotics Engineering (APCoRE) head Suresh Gobee.
Congratulating the team, Suresh said APU was incredibly proud of Thasne and Low for their dedication and for representing the varsity with such distinction on the international stage.
