For some time, Sunway University’s Human-Machine Collaboration Research Centre (HUMAC-RC) has been sending undergraduate-led teams to National-level combat robotics competitions, organised independently by MyRobotz Enterprise since 2014. The competition has recently received the support of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI). Naturally, Sunway University’s Team HUMAC would be sent in once again.

After four consecutive days of competing, Professor Yap Kian Meng, who has been supervising and guiding these teams since this project's inception, was happy to report that this year’s team managed to make it to the Quarterfinals of the competition for the first time in years. Even the organisers were surprised by Sunway University’s performance, especially after setting an opponent on fire in their first match and showing remarkable durability against stronger opponents.

This remarkable growth in just a year after the previous competition was only made possible by the efforts of the lab staff, postgraduate students, and lecturers that constantly supported and advised the current combat robot team in their preparations. Even more so considering that the current team, like many teams before them, only consisted of computing undergraduate students that had to pick up the engineering foundations for combat robotics along the way.

With Prof. Yap acting as the main supervisor and Dr. Tang Tiong Yew providing support during the competition, the current team consisted of the Team Leaders Hunts Wong Han Xian (BSDA) and Chin Hui San (BCNS), the Drivers Lau Wen Yee (BCNS) and Lim Zheng Jie (BCS), as well as the Mechanical & Electrical Team Adam Lim Han Jung (BCS), Alexander Ohenana Kojo Takyi Hagan (BCS), Jason Low Jian Xin (BCS), Mohamed Hasin Hussain (BCS), Preston Yeap Chan Leong (BCS), and Yusuf Bin Arman Zaharil (BCS).

By working alongside each other, the team was able to develop skills that they would have never gained exposure to within their course were it not for the competition. Designing and documenting the parts of the robot via Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools such as SolidWorks, working with workshop tools like welders and angle grinders, setting up circuits for RC control and more are all skills that interested students were able to learn by joining the combat robot team.

Beyond just the technical skills learned throughout this competition, the team also had plenty of opportunities to make lasting bonds with each other while also developing crucial soft skills in communication and project management that will come in handy for their future careers. Participating in this competition is an unforgettable experience for everyone involved and interested students should highly consider joining as a Lab Apprentice at HUMAC for valuable opportunities such as this!

With these accomplishments and the unwavering support from both HOME Lab and the School of Engineering and Technology as a whole, it is no doubt that future engineering and computing undergraduates will be able to continue contributing towards the ongoing journey of Sunway University’s combat robotics team and bring it to even greater heights.

To take a page from the organisers' theme this year, Keep Fighting!  
 

Hunts Wong Han Xian
School of Engineering and Technology
Email: @email