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Robotics is the only field which can add precision while replacing the slow manual labour in the contemporary industrial world. Thus this field faces enormous pressure from industry to produce all-purpose mobile manipulator robots which can perform simple tasks like grab, navigate and place objects at desired locations autonomously. The future of Pakistan relies heavily on advancement in the fields of engineering and science and events of this nature will encourage and motivate students to improve their technical skills.
As part of the growing requirements of the modern age, the Department of Electronics Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, has recently organized a two-day first Dawood University Robotics Contest 2015 (DURC) along with the Volunteering Student Body at its campus.
The theme of this event was to design and develop an Indigenous wall following robots that can localize themselves in unknown environments. Indigenous category included robots that were constructed from the scratch. Their mechanical structure and controls were designed by the teams themselves. The electronic control modules (including all electronic boards and motor drivers etc) were designed by the students.
The event lasted for two days – December 21-22, 2015. Judges of the competition included Prof. Dr. Munaf and Sqn Ldr Muhammad Ghayas Ahmedani. The chief guest was the Vice Chancellor of Dawood University of Engineering and Technology Dr. Faizullah Abbasi and chief organizer was the head of Electronics Department Dr. Samreen Amir. The main organizers of this event were chairperson of Electronics Department Prof. Dr. Samreen Amir and a team of final year students consisting of Sheraz Ali, M Ibad Nasir, Haris Bin Shakir and Jawad Ahmed Awan.
This idea to hold the contest was brought by the final year students team to the department, for the improvement and enhancement of the practical skills of the juniors. This team participated in NERC-15 and they wanted to introduce that culture in the university as well for this they started registering teams via mailing and in a month they achieved their target. Students of Electronic Dept showed great interest towards this productive event.
The DURC contest is a project of the Dawood University of Engineering and Technology.
The organizing committee had drafted a set of very strict rules for the participants in order to ensure transparency and precision of robots.
According to the rules, robots were supposed to be built by teams comprising four members each, of currently registered students from the Dawood University of Engineering and Technology. The contestants were allowed to use only certain electronic components.
The proceedings of the event started at 11:10am at the main Auditorium of the DUET, while the main contest remained in progress from 11:20am uptil 1:20pm. This competition provided a common environment for the integration and evaluation of various electronics designs and control. As many as 22 robots were presented from the students of the Electronic Department made by them with great efforts. The robots thus designed entered the arena from the designated entrance decided at the start of each match.
Out of 22 robots, the IR sharks was one of the robots from the batch 2015 who solved the maze without any mistake in an only 17 seconds and secured first position in the competition whereas Silicon Art and Jarz were the runners-up of the competition.
At the end of the contest, prizes were distribution among the position holders. Vice Chancellor of Dawood University of Engg and Technology Dr. Faizullah Abbasi gave the prizes.
While addressing on the occasion, the VC appreciated the organizers of the contest and encouraged the participating students.
The event made a great success all over the university because of the interest of the students towards it. InshAllah this will be the trend in Dawood and we will see DURC 2016 soon.