Malaysia’s sole representatives, Thasne Rames, 20, and Low Yinn Ean, 18, both Diploma students in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), triumphed over more than 5,000 contestants from 31 countries to claim first place at the prestigious Robot Challenge 2024, held in Beijing, China.
Founded in 2004, the Robot Challenge is regarded as one of the premier international competitions for autonomous robots. It attracts participants from across the globe to compete in categories ranging from AI programming to mechanical design. Thasne and Low excelled in the “Puck Collect – Adult” category, a demanding event that required a seamless combination of sensor technology, mechanical engineering, and artificial intelligence (AI). Their task was to build a robot capable of locating, retrieving, and transporting small colored discs, or “pucks,” in the fastest time possible.
Their robot, constructed using Pitsco Tetrix Max and Prime kits and powered by Arduino technology, outshined the competition with its exceptional precision and functionality. A critical factor in their victory was the robot’s advanced AI system, which accurately identified the location of both the pucks and the home base.
The clever integration of these components allowed the robot to operate autonomously with remarkable efficiency, leading Thasne and Low to secure the top position. The competition took place on a 250cm by 250cm field, where their robot competed against others, racing to gather all assigned pucks and return them to base in the shortest time.
Held at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium from August 9 to 11, the international robotics competition was one of the largest of its kind, drawing over 300 institutions worldwide.
Thasne and Low, who built on their experience from winning the World of Robotics Championship (WRC) 2023, were mentored by Suresh Gobee, head of APU’s Asia Pacific Centre of Robotics Engineering (APCORE).
APU expressed immense pride in the duo’s dedication and achievements on the global stage, with Suresh congratulating the team for their remarkable representation of the university.