Students engage in robot wars
Keen robot masters: (Top) A group of male students making adjustments to their robot at the Robotech Olympiad competition. (Middle) Some female students testing out their creation. (Above) A student getting ready to put his robot to the test. Pictures: BT/Zamri Zainal
Friday, August 29, 2008
SPINNING gears, whirring wheels, electric impulses and robots of varying shapes, sizes and designs were put to the test as 59 teams from 42 schools in the country battled it out to reign supreme in the Brunei Robotics Olympiad 2008.
The 24 teams from 23 primary schools and 32 teams from 19 secondary schools gathered at the Pg Anak Puteri Hjh Masna Secondary School in teams of three.
Each team had to construct and program their robots to run through a prepared course within a given time limit.
The Basic Runner course for primary school participants was straightforward, with teams scoring additional points for knocking over objects and completing the whole course within a time limit.
Smash Triathlon for the secondary school participants was not only a longer course but also put the robots through more challenging physical obstacles.
Bintorex from Binturan Primary School of Tutong emerged champions in the Base Runner category with SRMA Transformers II from Muhammad Alam Primary School and Shitako AFN from Junjongan Primary School in the second and third places respectively.
Meanwhile, SMJA A from Jamalul Alam Secondary School demonstrated they were the best of the bunch in the Smash Triathlon category, leaving SMSH from Sultan Hassan Secondary School of Bangar, Tutong and Smasher from Muda Hashim Secondary School in the second and third places, respectively.
Organised by the Science, Technology and Environment Partnership (Step) Centre and supported by Brunei Shell Sdn Bhd, the competition first started in 2004 as the Lego Mindstorm Competition. Its name was changed the following year. Previously open only to primary schools, this year's competition was open to both government and private secondary schools nationwide.
The competition is seen as a stepping stone for students to understand and prepare themselves for a world of science and technology. With its hands-on nature, it is also held to open the minds and explore the participants' intellectual abilities. Specifically, it seeks to motivate and spark interest in robotics technology as it is an application of physics, computer science, engineering, mathematics and computer studies. Students had to create an autonomous robot and program it, encouraging them to use high level mental skills such as cooperative problem solving, decision making, goal setting and logical thinking.
Presenting the award prizes to yesterday's winners of the Brunei Robotic Olympiad 2008 was the Acting Director of the Curriculum Development Department under the Ministry of Education, Ak Abdullah Pg Hj Tengah, who said that the National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN 21) will include Design and Technology as a subject in both primary and secondary schools, which will include the use of computer programs and incorporating robotic technology. With the competition as a platform to learn how to modify and assemble robots, he expressed hope that students will be able to come up with their own robotic creations, and pursue the subject in their undergraduate and even postgraduate studies. The Brunei Times
The 24 teams from 23 primary schools and 32 teams from 19 secondary schools gathered at the Pg Anak Puteri Hjh Masna Secondary School in teams of three.
Each team had to construct and program their robots to run through a prepared course within a given time limit.
The Basic Runner course for primary school participants was straightforward, with teams scoring additional points for knocking over objects and completing the whole course within a time limit.
Smash Triathlon for the secondary school participants was not only a longer course but also put the robots through more challenging physical obstacles.
Bintorex from Binturan Primary School of Tutong emerged champions in the Base Runner category with SRMA Transformers II from Muhammad Alam Primary School and Shitako AFN from Junjongan Primary School in the second and third places respectively.
Meanwhile, SMJA A from Jamalul Alam Secondary School demonstrated they were the best of the bunch in the Smash Triathlon category, leaving SMSH from Sultan Hassan Secondary School of Bangar, Tutong and Smasher from Muda Hashim Secondary School in the second and third places, respectively.
Organised by the Science, Technology and Environment Partnership (Step) Centre and supported by Brunei Shell Sdn Bhd, the competition first started in 2004 as the Lego Mindstorm Competition. Its name was changed the following year. Previously open only to primary schools, this year's competition was open to both government and private secondary schools nationwide.
The competition is seen as a stepping stone for students to understand and prepare themselves for a world of science and technology. With its hands-on nature, it is also held to open the minds and explore the participants' intellectual abilities. Specifically, it seeks to motivate and spark interest in robotics technology as it is an application of physics, computer science, engineering, mathematics and computer studies. Students had to create an autonomous robot and program it, encouraging them to use high level mental skills such as cooperative problem solving, decision making, goal setting and logical thinking.
Presenting the award prizes to yesterday's winners of the Brunei Robotic Olympiad 2008 was the Acting Director of the Curriculum Development Department under the Ministry of Education, Ak Abdullah Pg Hj Tengah, who said that the National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN 21) will include Design and Technology as a subject in both primary and secondary schools, which will include the use of computer programs and incorporating robotic technology. With the competition as a platform to learn how to modify and assemble robots, he expressed hope that students will be able to come up with their own robotic creations, and pursue the subject in their undergraduate and even postgraduate studies. The Brunei Times
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