Vie, robot: Rock ’em, sock ’em games test student skills

robot club

Excitement was in the air last week as competing robots battled one another at the Engineering building, trying to throw their opponents off balance.

Michael Mantel, left, and Sean Untalan, both sophomore civil engineering majors, were among those behind the robots, showing off their game-playing creations to a group of enthusiastic onlookers April 23.

Several engineering students who showcased their unique class projects; six team-designed games and robots to play them. The interactive creations consisted of a variety of fast-paced games, including boxing robots, robotic tanks, board games and more.

The robots and games were created as part of a class project for an engineering design class where students from all engineering disciplines learn how to design a technical product from start to finish in a team setting.

“This whole process combines the experience and education students need to learn to design and manage a project from production to realization,” said John Tester, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the design class series.