Robots are duking it out in the ring at Saskatchewan Polytechnic as the 2023 Robot Rumble kicked off Wednesday in Saskatoon.
Anthony Voykin is the instructor in the Electronic Systems Engineering program at Sask. Polytech and said they created this event in 2009 to boost interest in electronics for high school students looking for a career opportunity.
“The robots are autonomous, but they’re designed to drive around a ring when the ring is black. They follow a pattern that they’ve programmed in,” Voykin said.
The SUMObots as they’re called, are built by students and put into a ring with the goal of pushing the other robot out of the ring.
Voykin said the robots don’t always pan out – one robot had some smoke coming out of it – he stressed they do have fire extinguishers on hand.
He explained that they have a stock and a modified category, saying students can either build a robot off the parts provided to them by Sask. Polytech, or they can build and customize their own.
Students who walk away winners in the event can end up with a cash prize, electronic parts, or even a tuition credit for Sask. Polytech.
“At the very first competition that we had it was packed. I think we had over 120 teams from probably 60 different high schools across Saskatchewan, and it’s pretty much been the same ever since.”
Voykin said students really get into the Robot Rumble, noting it’s something different for them to take part in.
Colby Penner is a student from Bethlehem Catholic High School who is one of the many participants in Wednesday’s event.
His team has a modified robot that was built from scratch, dubbed “Medium-sized Rat.”
“It spins around, and as soon as it finds a robot, it follows if it moves. These sensors help keep it on track so it just keeps going,” Colby said.