Page 44 - IntraMuros November 2021

LIFESTYLE

TUKS ROBOT SHOWDOWN WINNERS!

Nine finalist teams of engineering students hit the track for the ultimate robot showdown
as the highly anticipated Annual TUKS Robot Race Day took place recently,
after being postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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

The winning team with Wesley Hood from RS Components SA and The winning car at the finish line.
Professor Tania Hanekom from TUKS.

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

42 | INTRAMUROS NOVEMBER 2021