ACM SIGBots Robotics Team Hosts Qualifying Event at Purdue

03-08-2018

Purdue’s ACM SIGBots club recently hosted 17 robotics teams from 12 different universities (including Purdue) in a qualifying match in Lawson Hall.

“At the time of the event, it was the largest VEX U qualifying event ever held in the United States,” said Jonathan Bayless, junior at Purdue and president of Purdue SIGBots, who has been part of the club since his freshman year.

The teams participated in the VEX U Robotics Challenge, competing against other teams using their own semi-autonomous robot. Teams score points according by meeting criteria in a game whose design changes every year. This year, the robot scored points by stacking cones and moving mobile goals to a designated corner of the field. Each team had four mobile goals in their color, and there were 88 cones available for either team to use. 

“SIGBots has undoubtedly had the biggest influence on my leadership and technical abilities of any part of my undergrad experience so far,” Bayless said. “Leading our project teams has helped me better understand how to work with people and achieve goals. Plus, the technology that we work with has given me a preview of what I will use in industry.” 

According to Bayless, anyone who has an interest in robotics, embedded programming or operating systems should join SIGBots. “SIGBots has been an excellent way to prepare for industry and has led to our members getting some very nice internships,” he said. “It's practical, but the competition environment is also a lot of fun.”

Learn more about SIGBots at www.purduesigbots.com.