Research instruments are indispensable to scientific exploration. Therefore, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) expects to equip college students with scientific and technological knowledge by curtesy of popular science events that aim to nurture talents for devising research instruments. Yesterday (March 16), “2024 NARLabs Smart Machinery Competition,” organized by the Taiwan Instrument Research Institute (TIRI) of NARLabs, under NSTC, together with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Taiwan Session, took place at the Engineering Building I, National Tsing Hua University, attracting a lot of college students nationwide who could showcase their creativity and capabilities to devise smart machinery. In this fierce competition, the research team of National United University clinched the victory and snatched the prize of NT$50,000 this year. Chang Chen-We, a student of National Tsing Hua University, won the first prize of NT$10,000 in the English presentation contest.
The theme of the design contest every year, characterized by being interdisciplinary and close to life, is developed by ASME. By working together in a given scenario, participants are encouraged to combine theory with practice, firing their imagination for science. The theme this year is “Robot Mini Golf.” A simulated golf course with seven different challenges was well-installed at the venue. Each designed robot took one challenge after another, swinging the club to hit the ball into a hole. When one challenge was passed, the robot should be navigated to the next one.
The difficulty was that when the robot entered the golf course, all its movements were remote-controlled. The robot had to go on a slope or hold the putt so as to test the designer’s maneuvering skills to make it hit the ball with power and accuracy. The competition was fun to watch. Everyone looked at the robot hit the ball with rapt attention. When the ball rolled into the hole, emotions ran high among the participants and spectators. It was nothing less than a real human competition. Finally, the winner went to National United University. Team “The Robot’s Golf Journey” demonstrated their remarkable ability to control the robot and showed their great team spirit. Team “DIT-Backing out as Rotten Strawberries” from National Tsing Hua University, and inter-university team “Yang Ming’s King of Sea Dragon,” from Feng Chia University, Ming Chuan University, and National Taiwan Normal University, came in second and third place respectively. Moreover, two special awards “Closest to Hole Award” and “Best Robot System Design Award” were added this year to spice up the competition. The two awards were finally given to “Yang Ming’s King of Sea Dragon” and “The Robot’s Golf Journey.”
As for the presentation contest, participants have to talk about a machinery-related topic in English. The judges will do the grading according to every participant’s ability to analyze issues and their level of eloquence. This year, Chang Chen-We, a student of National Tsing Hua University, came in first place. He received unanimous recognition from the judges for his clearness, conciseness, and great stage presence. Liao Min-Chun, a student of National Taiwan University, and Yu Chia-Yi, a student of National Sun Yat-sen University, both won second place because of their logical and methodical presentations.
“2024 NARLabs Smart Machinery Competition” was co-organized by domestic companies limited/organizations such as Syntec Technology, Mitutoyo Taiwan, Gallant Micro Machining, H.P.B Optoelectronics, Contrel Technology, HIWIN Technologies, Applied Nano Technology Science, and Sanlien Education Foundation. They have made joint efforts to foster new-generation talents for devising research instruments, anticipating that college students’ capabilities in the field of mechanical engineering can be enhanced through this international competition that provides a playful platform for practical technique exchange. Students can also acquire problem-solving skills and become a driving force for upgrading industrial technologies and consolidating Taiwan’s international competitiveness in the future.
