The IET/MATE Underwater robot competition was held on 16-17 April and our team with 20 students from EE, ME, COMP and ABCT, designed a brand new underwater ROV for this event.
With experience gained from last year’s competition, students designed a new ROV which is smaller in size and lighter in weight but more maneuverable due to the thrusters’ arrangement.
The ROV was built by the students, with ME students building the robotic arm, Computing students development the control software. EE students are responsible for building the frame, buoyancy system, electronic and project management.
After months of hard work, the ROV was finally completed one week before the competition. The team encountered many technical issues during the test run and the ROV broke down after the trial-run on the first day of the competition. But the students worked around the clock and repaired the ROV. On the second day of the competition, the team first passed the qualification test allowing the team to take part in the International competition in June and then completed the ROV competition which included the technical presentation as well as achieving various tasks underwater. Finally, we came third in the competition.
The team is now working on a new design and planning to develop another ROV to participate in the International Competition to be held in NASA Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab.
