UH Mānoa students square off in high-stakes robotics showdown

The tension was palpable on the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa as seven teams of students prepared for the final robotics competition in their ECE 491: Fundamentals of Robotics and Cyberphysical Systems course. After months of preparation, the challenge was clear: design and program a robot capable of autonomously following a black line through a twisting obstacle course. The stakes were high, and the room buzzed with anticipation—would their robots stay on track, or veer off into chaos?

For weeks, the students had been immersed in the complexities of robotics, mastering mobility, perception, and intelligent systems. They had spent countless hours testing, failing, and refining their designs, pushing their robots—and themselves—to the limit. “We’re pushing the students right to the edge,” Professor Daniel Drew explained, “but keeping it positive at the same time.” Some robots performed admirably, gliding along the line with precision, while others struggled to stay on the course, their creators frantically troubleshooting.

Despite the stress, the atmosphere was alive with creativity. Teams had decorated their robots with flair, adding a personal touch to their mechanical creations. For some, like Computer Science major Kai Garcia, who rarely worked with hardware, the course was a rare opportunity to explore the physical side of robotics. “This class was a great introduction to something I’ve never done before,” he shared. And then, the payoff…

As the autonomous robots navigated the course—some with smooth precision, others with jerky determination—the room erupted in cheers and laughter. The competition wasn’t just about success; it was about the journey, the problem-solving, and the thrill of seeing their creations come to life. For these students, the semester ended not just with a challenge overcome, but with a glimpse into the future of robotics—and their own potential to shape it.