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June 22, 2006
Trinity University Engineering Students Place in Robotics Competition
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Trinity’s engineering science students take a break from the competition. From left, they are Cary Wong, Adam Crouch, Brandi House, and Michael Hohimer. |
SAN ANTONIO – The task for four Trinity University engineering science students was daunting: design and build a robot capable of sorting color-coded cans in an environment resembling a warehouse. The students – Adam Crouch of Dallas; Michael Hohimer of Albuquerque, N.M.; Brandi House of Canyon Lake, Texas; and Cary Wong of Pearl City, Hawaii – not only met the challenge but placed fourth out of 37 teams competing in a regional robotics competition sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
The robot was designed to find, pick up and move cans of four different
colors to different areas of the mock warehouse, based on the color of
the can. For example, a blue can had to be taken to a blue room. In
addition, the robot had to rely upon its “brain,” without any
programming or control movements from a person. In the final phase of
the competition, the robot also had to avoid “human workers” – Barbie
dolls – who were clothed in corresponding colors.
Ms. House explained that the project could have practical applications to robotics in a real warehouse, in which robots could perform specific tasks. She also characterized the project as a highlight of her Trinity education.
“Most of us spent 20 to 30 hours a week on the robot, and seeing the finished product perform so well on competition day was the most rewarding experience of our time at Trinity,” said Ms. House, who graduated from Trinity in May with degrees in music and engineering science. She will begin work on a doctoral degree in the fall at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Mr. Crouch and Mr. Hohimer both graduated cum laude in May with bachelor’s degrees in engineering science. Mr. Crouch will attend graduate school at the University of Texas at Dallas, while Mr. Hohimer is headed to Georgia Tech. Mr. Wong is a candidate for graduation in December.
A Trinity engineering science graduate, Mike Yockey, served as an adviser to the four students. The work was part of a senior design course taught by John Paul Giolma, associate professor of engineering science.
“Given that this was the first year for Trinity students to participate, we feel it was quite an accomplishment,” said Farzan Aminian, professor of engineering science at Trinity and adviser to the student chapter of the engineering institute.
The competition was held in April on the campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
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© 2006 Trinity University