Since 2014, Polytech Angers has organized the Game of Robots competition. For one week, students must build and program a Lego robot that moves autonomously on a circuit. The final took place on Friday December 20.
The robots had to succeed in winning a ring during the race. It feels like match night: the teams are fine-tuning the final settings before kick-off, the supporters are making their voices heard in the stands, two cameras are broadcasting the race on the big screen… This Friday, December 20, the Polytech amphitheater Angers hosted the final of the Game of Robots challenge, in a festive atmosphere.
« It was one of the most beautiful editionsnotes Alexis Todoskoff, who has overseen the organization of this event since the beginning. This is proof that you can learn while having fun, even if it is a graded exercise. Today, we can no longer offer top-down training, students must∙they learn on their own. » The sixty participants, in 5e specialty year Quality, innovation, reliability (QIF), therefore phosphorous from December 16 to 20. Modeling, design, mechanics, marketing and communication: this challenge is an opportunity for them to use their knowledge acquired during the engineering cycle.
Each team is made up of a project manager, research and development (R&D) managers, and a marketing and social media manager. The first days are an opportunity to experiment with group work and to tackle the construction and programming of the robot. Once the qualifying stages have been completed and the final tests have been carried out, the latter can take part in the race for the grand final on the four-metre long circuit. Objectives: climb a slope, retrieve a ring attached to a bar, go back down, and place the ring in the volcano, in reference to the Lord of the Rings.
CP students as spectators
A theme which also inspired the students when imagining a name: Gand’Alphabot, Gollum and his precious ones, Guardians of Durin… Each team faces another in a duel and the winner qualifies for the match next depending on the number of points obtained (speed, obstacle overcome, ring removed, etc.).
-
Before arriving at the volcano, the robot had to ensure the descent. An exercise far from easy. If some robots do not start or fall during the descent, the students’ achievements still seem to delight Yves Guido and Cédric Bellanger, employees at Ansys, a company partner of the event since the beginning and specialized in assisted engineering. by computer. “ Our two new partners, Thalès and OnePoint, also loved it », adds Alexis Todoskoff. Without forgetting the twenty CP students from the Pierre and Marie-Curie school, located opposite Polytech, who attended part of the meetings. The opportunity for them to take a first step at university, and for the engineering school to build a real close relationship with local stakeholders.
Among the students, we are relaxed, or almost. We go without transition from joy to sadness or pride. And all three at once too, in a few seconds, depending on the robot’s performance. “ It was an intense weekoworked from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. », Notes Bastien, member of the Robot Forgers, eliminated in the quarter-finals. “ I gained friends, experience, and learned to manage my stress,” retains Doha from the Efitech team.
The final victory went to the Hunters team, whose members each left with a video projector. “ We got a lot of help from the other teams, they confide, fair play. We are happy to have won but it is mainly thanks to everyone. »
