ONU Technological Studies teams win 2007 Robot of the Year, two gold and one silver award in national competition
ONU Technological Studies teams win 2007 Robot of the Year, two gold and one silver award in national competition
Ohio Northern University Technological Studies teams captured two gold awards, one silver award and the "2007 Robot of the year award" at the National Robotics Challenge held at The Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Marion on March 9-10.
ONU garnered the 2007 Robot of the Year," the highest award at the competition after designing, building and programming a manufactured work cell consisting of a KUKA industrial robot, a plastic injection molder and several applied control systems.
The work cell manufactured poker chips from raw materials and labeled them with "ONU" before passing them out as souvenirs to other competitors and the general public. Members of the team, who also came away with a gold medal for this project, were Matthew Myers of Murrysville, Pa., William James III of Ada, Robert Wambo of Eaton, Ohio, Ryan Risner of McGuffey, Ohio, Jared Simon of Ada and Jonathon Rankin of Marysville, Ohio.
ONU secured a second gold medal in the sumo robot competition. The team of Robert Hanley of Edison, New Jersey, Ryan Profera of Charden, Ohio and Robert Hanley of Apple Creek, Ohio constructed and programmed a 150-pound sumo robot that autonomously detected and removed another robot from the ring.
The team of Brent Schwieterman of Coldwater, Ohio and Eric Schroeder of Maria Stein, Ohio built a non-tactile autonomous robot that won a silver award in the robot maze competition.
"The students really have something to be proud of," said Dr. Adam Stienecker, ONU assistant professor of Technology, who was the advisor for the four teams. "Last fall they had nothing but a blank sheet of paper and now, from scratch, they have developed four high quality, award-winning systems."
ONU and KUKA Robotics teamed up earlier this year to create the ONU Robotics Center of Excellence. The center provides ONU students with hands-on design and programming experience using KUKA robots, controllers and software.
The ONU Robotics Center of Excellence is part of its department of technological studies. The center has seven KUKA KR3 robots including KUKA controllers and software. Five of the robots are being interfaced to PLCs and CNC machines in a simulated manufacturing environment performing loading, unloading and parts transfer functions.
Published: Thu, 03/15/2007 - 1:34pm
