The University of Hawaii at Hilo placed 21st out of 45 teams at the NASA Robotics Mining Competition last month at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ADVERTISING The University of Hawaii at Hilo placed 21st out of 45 teams
The University of Hawaii at Hilo placed 21st out of 45 teams at the NASA Robotics Mining Competition last month at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The school’s six-member Vulcan Space Robotics Team was tasked to design and build a mining robot that can ultimately excavate and traverse a simulated Martian terrain.
The students spent hundreds of hours during the past school year building a robot named “Spock.”
“We got comments from the judges that they were really impressed with (his) simplicity and robustness,” said faculty adviser Marc Roberts.
This year marked UH-Hilo’s first time competing at the event. Last year, students attended to watch but didn’t take part. UH-Hilo also was the only school from Hawaii entered in the event. Nearly 50 teams from around the country competed.
Roberts said the team did especially well considering it had only one try in the mining arena. Many teams had two excavation attempts with their robot, but the Vulcans suffered an intermittent internet connection that ultimately resulted in just one run, he said.
“That was a disappointment,” Roberts said. “But on the other hand, 15 out of 45 teams could not get their robot to move on its own. So, to be a first-timer and have a working robot and get at least one run in is an excellent accomplishment.”
Roberts said students are still fundraising to cover travel costs because the team came up a bit short.
Team members will be fundraising at the Hilo Brewfest later this month, where community members can donate and also see Spock up close.
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com
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