Page 24 - Irene Farm Village Issue 10 2021

tukS RoBot ShoWdoWn WInneRS!

Third year engineering students await the countdown for the final race.

Nine finalist teams of engineering students took to University of Pretoria, said that providing
the track for the ultimate robot showdown as the world-class education to students is what
they strive for across all departments and
highly anticipated Annual TUKS Robot Race Day the Robot Race Day is just one of the ways
took place recently, after being postponed in 2020 education is enhanced.
due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our Annual Robot Race Day provides
a platform to stimulate curiosity and
ow in its eighth year, the due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic creativity, which is crucial for the
Annual TUKS Robot Race Day, and, as such, paper tracks were designed innovation and entrepreneurship that
Ncoordinated by the University so that they could be printed out on A4 a career in engineering demands.
of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering, Built pages and pasted together to allow the The project guides aspiring engineers
Environment and Information Technology, race to be attempted at home. They then through a carefully planned process
has grown in leaps and bounds with more had to upload a video of their MARV to develop a fundamental set of
students getting involved and showcasing (Microcontroller-based Autonomous engineering skills, which include
their innovation, programming, and Robotic Vehicle) navigating the home hardware and software design skills,
engineering skills. This year, more than track and these video submissions served systems integration skills, the ability to
85 teams registered to compete for the as the initial rounds of the race. work and function in a team, as well as
title, with preliminary rounds taking place Professor Tania Hanekom, Function demonstrate their time management
online. Students had to work remotely Head for Undergraduate Studies at the skills, perseverance and the good old

The 2021 Robot Race Day winners Eben Benade, Dylan Bailie, Berno The runners up for this year’s title.
Myburg and Jean Pierre De La Rey with their winning robot.

22 • Issue 10 2021 • The Villager