Matt Hewson
Eight local students will battle it out in Queensland to win glory at the Robocup Junior Australian Open National event this weekend.
Four teams of two Systems Engineering students from Christian College Geelong will take part in the event in Brisbane on October 19 and 20, competing in robot soccer.
Three of the teams will compete in the Standard League category, while two year 12 students – Arlin Benson and Martin Dean – have earned themselves a spot in the Open League event with their own custom designed, fabricated and programmed robots.
Arlin and Martin make up one team among about a dozen in the country that qualified, the first Christian College team to do so.
They have spent the entire school year constructing their robots outside of regular class time using 3D printing and laser cutting to shape the chassis and constructing the robots with control boards, electric motors and sensors.
Seven and a half months may sound like a long time, but Christian College Systems Engineering teacher Danon O’Kelly said to get their robots ready in such a short span of time was “a phenomenal achievement”.
“Generally speaking, normally you would have a full year of ideation and testing, and then another full year of refinement,” Mr O’Kelly said.
“Martin and Arlin’s understanding of this easily eclipses my understanding, I have no shame admitting that at all.
“It essentially requires a university level understanding of concepts… just to get something moving on the table, seeing the ball and then tracking it. And then, instead of just moving, how do we make it competitive?”
Mr O’Kelly said he was “very, very proud” of all eight students.
“It’s a highlight for any educator to have students that not only tackle the curriculum… but then put their hand up and say, ‘let’s take it a step further’,” he said.
