Page 42 - EngineerIT July 2022

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Tuks campus taken over by robots

everal teams of third-year fundamental set of engineering skills, which include hardware and software design skills,
engineering students took to systems integration skills, the ability to work and function in a team, time management
Sthe track for the ultimate robot skills, perseverance and the good old indispensable ‘engineering gut feeling’ which comes
showdown as the highly anticipated only with experience in the execution of engineering projects” she said.
Annual TUKS Robot Race Day took place at The TUKS Robot Race Day offers students the opportunity to put theory into practice.
the campus recently. Students are required to build autonomous robotic vehicles, with a sensor system able to
Now in its ninth year, the event, detect specific colours on the multi-coloured track - which is developed as part of their
coordinated by the University of Pretoria’s analogue electronics module. The Race Day also gives them a platform to work as a team
Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and to demonstrate innovation and technical skills in developing these robots.
and Information Technology, has grown Professor Tania also added that the educational objectives of the Robot Race Day
in leaps and bounds with more students were strongly supported by the university’s partnerships with industry, which provide the
getting involved and showcasing their necessary resources to maintain this flagship event. “On behalf of the students and the
innovation, programming, and engineering engineering faculty, I would like to thank RS Components South Africa for assisting us with
skills. This year more than fifty teams the various components, batteries and support over the years. We look forward to future
registered to compete for the title. engagements with RS,” she added.
Professor Tania Hanekom, Function The 2022 Robot Race Day winners Natalie Hanekom, Brendon De Beer and Karl Etsebeth
Head for Undergraduate Studies at were elated after their robot beat the others to claim the win. Wesley Hood, Education
the University of Pretoria said that Specialist for RS Components SA said that nurturing the next generation of engineers was
providing world-class education to our at the top of RS’s agenda. “RS Components’ continued involvement in this project is in line
students is what they strive for across with the company’s policy of supporting both professional and future engineers, by giving
all departments and the Robot Race them access to the components, tools and resources that they require to excel in their
Day is just one of the ways education is endeavours. This is echoed in our DesignSpark platform which is a free online community
enhanced. “Our Annual Robot Race Day for engineers, inventors and tech enthusiasts from around the world, offering free CAD
provides a platform to stimulate curiosity software and other technical resources to help bring ideas to life. With more than 1.2
and creativity, which is crucial for the million members, this community can be of assistance to students and engineers working
innovation and entrepreneurship that on real-world applications. I encourage anyone interested in engineering and inventing to
a career in engineering demands. The register and be a part of this global community,” he said.
project guides aspiring engineers through
a carefully planned process to develop a View a brief video of the day here: https://youtu.be/Be4dIHJZwpw

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