The Petrosains RBTX Challenge aims to nurture talents in robotics by providing a platform to learn and enhance skills in basic designing, coding and sensor training.
THE Petrosains RBTX Challenge is back for its fourth instalment for robotics enthusiasts to share their ideas on an open source platform. Interested participants are encouraged to register and join in the excitement from now till July 31.
There is no age limit imposed on the competition, which creates a platform for kids to team up with their parents as a family fun-filled opportunity, while teachers who get involved will also receive e-certificates and will be able to record their participation in the Education Ministry’s Sistem Pengurusan Latihan e-learning portal.
“Through this competition, Petrosains hopes to nurture technology skills, as well as spur innovation and inventions towards building a more sustainable world for all,” said Petrosains Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Ezarisma Azni Mohamad.
“For us, what is most important is that participants gain knowledge in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IOT) and enhance their skills in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication.”
The competition will feature three categories, namely Robo Tracer, Robo Sumo and Innovation. While the Robo Tracer involves programming an autonomous robot to follow track lines and complete the route in the fastest time, Robo Sumo features two autonomous robots “battling” inside a ring to push each other out.
Meanwhile, the Innovation category allows participants to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions on issues aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, namely, good health and well-being, quality education, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, as well as climate action, among others.
Participants can design, build and code their own autonomous robots to compete in the Robo Tracer and Robo Sumo categories.
Interested participants are required to submit video entries of their robots completing the challenge or idea pitch. They will also need to develop a prototype based on robotic or digital technology and present their ideas to a panel of experts.
Once shortlisted, teams for the Robo Tracer category will then compete in the virtual qualifying rounds in September 2022, while selected teams in the Robo Sumo and Innovation categories will advance directly to the finals in November 2022 in the battle to be crowned champions.
The robotic competition is a unique platform, as it is made affordable with the sharing of robotic development tools in an open source-environment at Petrosains.
Participants, especially schoolchildren who have been keen in joining the competition in past years, are also encouraged to take part in the Petrosains workshops across the country from May 2022 to prepare in areas such as basic designing, coding and sensor training.
Through these workshops, they will get useful insights on the evolving digital era driven by the convergence of advanced technologies such as robotics, AI and IOT. There will also be online programmes to help build knowledge on assembling robotic parts, programming and use of proximity sensors.
Aside from the stellar experience the robotic competition and workshops has to offer, school students who participate will earn Pentaksiran Aktiviti Jasmani, Sukan dan Kokurikulum credits.
The Petrosains RBTX Challenge is open for registration from now to July 31, 2022.
This year, the competition is aligned with Malaysia's efforts in gearing up efforts to boost productivity and progress through technology-driven solutions, as mandated under our National Fourth Industrial Revolution policy.
It is also in tandem with Petrosains’ purpose, which is to deliver science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning in a fun and interactive manner, using a hands-on experiential approach, with the larger aim of building a future-ready workforce, namely with skills that can serve strategies to overcome current and future challenges.
Registration is currently open until July 31, visit www.petrosains.com.my/rbtx-challenge to sign up.
