UGM Robotic team has won in the international competition held at Oosting Gymnasium, Trinity College Ferris Athletic Center, Hartford Connecticut, U.S.A. from 6-8 April 2018 during The 25th year of the Trinity College International Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest”.
The UGM team representing Indonesia won gold and silver medals for fire fighting category. The team consisted of Atin Yudi Wibowo, Adien Gumilang, Dani Setyawan, and Habib Astari Adi. They were accompanied by UGM Dean of Vocational School and supervising lecturer, Dr. Wikan Sakarinto, and Dr. Rachmat Sriwijaya, chairman of Gadjah Mada Robotic Team.
Contacted by telephone on Monday (9/4), Wikan said he had not expected the Indonesian team would win the contest because the legged robot named as Al Fatih had experienced problems earlier. “Parts of the robot were broken after being removed from the plane’s baggage,” said Wikan.
For the flight between Abu Dhabi to John F.Kennedy airport in New York, said Wikan, they were not permitted to carry the robot to the cabin. After their luggage was finally wheeled out, it appeared that one part of the robot was broken. Team members were disappointed by this accident and doubtful if they could make it. Later, they glued the broken parts and heated them using a hair dryer.
“I motivated them. I asked them to keep confident to perform the next day,” Wikan said of the incident.
Another challenge came when the robots had to undergo three times’ sound wave tests while the robot was still on. This made the students panic as they had never experienced this rule before. Failure to pass the test would mean failure to join the contest.
“So we were forced to disassemble and assemble our sound sensors. We were only bringing four sensors for two robots of the ideal six sensors. So, the student did research, experimenting, welding, almost passing the time limit determined by the committee,” he said.
But after awhile, the two robots were finally stated as having passed the test. “Finally, the two robots were considered as qualifying for the contest,” he said.
The success of the robot this time, said Wikan, needs to be appreciated. Their struggle to go through and win the championship became the pride for Indonesian young people and inspired them to make more achievements in the future.