Apr 18 2014
Members of SFU’s VEX Robotics team—ranked among the world’s top 30 teams—are heading to California to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championship April 23-26. It is the only Canadian university team to compete.
SFU VEX Robotics team. Back row l-r: Svetlana Borkovkina, Lily Li, Julian Lo, Joanna Che. Front row l-r: Gordon Ho, Grae Mackenzie.
Five engineering and two computing science students will represent the SFU VEX Robotics club, which has a about 20 members.
The Robotics Education and Competition Foundation holds the annual contest for both high school and university students. It involves solving an engineering challenge using the VEX Robotics Design System.
VEX robotics is an integrated and versatile design system for creating robots, says Gordon Ho, club president. Members of the team, newly formed last fall, have built competitive robots that are run by motors and sensors and can be programmed to solve engineering problems.
“Students are given challenges that address many aspects of real-life engineering,” explains Ho. “We engage our robots in solving problems using a mix of mechanical, programming, and electrical solutions. This year, new obstacles such as a speed bump and bridge will be new challenges. We’ll also rely on our teamwork to help us succeed.”
SFU team ranks #1 in world in skills challenges
During the year leading up to the contest, students participate in local qualification matches and self-designed skills challenges. The goal is to tally the most points possible. Earlier this year, the SFU team ranked #1 in the world in the skills challenges component.
In January, the team competed in Edmonton in a similar engineering design competition using the VEX system and finished third. At the end of its contest season the team had worked its way into the World Championships as one of the top 30 teams in the world.