Students bring home glory at world’s 1st Global Robotics Competition

 

Global New Light Of Myanmar

One hundred sixty three teams from 157 countries competed in the First Global Challenge 2017 Robotic Competition held in Washington D.C. from 16 to 18 July, with the Myanmar team finishing sixth in the competition. Six Myanmar students, Maung Wai Yar Aung from Yangon Technological University (YTU), Ma Yuzana Win from the University of Information Technology (UIT), Maung Wai Yan Htun from Goethe Institute, Thailand, Ma May Pyae Sone Kyaw from UIT, Maung Phone Thiha Kyaw from YTU and Maung Kyaw Za Zaw from ILBC were interviewed about participating in the competition.

Q. Tell us about the competition and the (host) country.

A. Yuzana Win: We participated in the First Global Challenge 2017 Robotic Competition held in Washington D.C., with 163 teams from 157 countries competing in it. All teams needed to make their own robots in their countries to competed in it. We stood sixth.

Q. Our team consisted of different schools. How was it organized? Which organization made the selection?

A. Yuzana Win: Phandeeyar: Myanmar Innovation Lab announced the competition by posting it on notice boards at technology universities, such as YTU and UIT, and conducted talks to apply for participating in the competition. Then they conducted interviews. From this, they formed a team with selected students.

Q. What were the preparations that were made so our team could compete in the competition?

A. Wai Yan Htun: Phandeeyar selected us, and seven students were formed into a team. About one to two months was given to construct the robot. A robot kit box was sent from the U.S. to build the robot. The materials in the robot kit box were something new for our team members. In order to familiarize ourselves with the materials, we started out by constructing a small robot. But the (robot kit box) materials were unfamiliar for us and we had to spend quite some time reading about it in the Guide Book included, as well as online. We tried building a small robot repeatedly, before we built the actual robot (to compete).

A. Wai Yar Aung: We divided the team into hardware and software groups. I’m in the hardware part. We (hardware members) constructed and tested a small robot first. Then we discussed what would be the most effective way to construct the robot for competition, and how to compete in accordance to the game design. After repeated constructions, we ended up with this one. Once we had the final design, we repeatedly tested it to ensure that it operated in accordance with the competition rules. At each stages of constructing the robot, we discussed and coordinated with the software members.

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