Embedded Files
Robotic Recycling
MAE3 Spring 2015
Image from Robotics Business News
UC San Diego is known as a leader in Sustainability. Here in MAE3, we seek to recognize this effort by inspiring engineering students to develop robots that will sort trash into their appropriate recycling dumpsters.
In June students will be emptying their dorm rooms and cleaning them out for inspection by the Housing and Dining Hospitality (HDH) Inspector. Engineering students have elected to use their design skills, and build robots to properly dispose of trash and deposit it in the appropriate recycling bins. A model of the dorm and bin locations are shown in the Contest Table. On each table 2 robots will compete head to head to see which one removes more trash from the dorm rooms and deposits them in the appropriate bins.
Playing Field
At the beginning of the contest each robot will start in a designated 10x10x21in starting area. The bottom floor of the dorms contains Cardboard Box trash, the second floor contains Metal Can trash, and the third floor contains Decomposing Food destined for the Compost Heap. Images of the trash are:
Cardboard Box Trash
Metal Can Trash
Food Waste 1
Food Waste 2
Food Waste 3
In the center of the table is a Cardboard Recycling Dumpster on the right side, a Metal Recycling Dumpster on the left side, and a Composter in the middle. Each team will have their own bins on their side of the table. The goal of the contest is to remove the trash from one's dorm and deposit it in the appropriate bin. The HDH Inspector will be observing the cleaning process from on top of an Outlook Beam. Students will not be allowed to leave for summer break without approval from the HDH Inspector; thus each team wants the inspector on their side (by which we mean literally on their side of the table).
Contest scoring is as follows:
1 point for each item of trash completely removed from the dorms. No part of the trash may be within the confine of the dorms to count, but the 1 point score is valid even if the trash falls off of the contest table.
2 additional recycling points for each metal can deposited in the Metal Recycling Dumpster.
3 additional recycling points for each cardboard box deposited in the Cardboard Recycling Dumpster.
4 additional recycling points for each decomposing food items deposited into the Composter.
Pulling the HDH Inspector onto one's side of the table will add 1 additional recycling point for each trash item placed properly in a bin. Note, pulling the inspector onto ones side of the table without a trash item in a bin will results in no additional points, but it will serve as a tie breaker. For the HDH Inspector to be considered on one side of the table he/she must be pulled completely past the designated mark.
For a piece of trash to gain a recycling point, at least part of the trash must be below the top of the corresponding dumpster or composter
Robot Contest Results from June 9, 2015
Complete Contest Pyramid and Results
Contest Winners
First Place: Team 34 - MAe-Harmony.com: Yajur Maker, Alison Meagher, Josef Niels Griedel, Ethan Jen
Second Place: Team 24 - JAA Squad: Austin Torgerson, Alec Schardein, Jonathan Luu
High Quality Presentation Award
Team 32 - Team Pixar: Minh Ly, Janelle Lines, Brandon Nguyen, Chris Sanchez
Team 12 - The Dislodger: Roy Barnea, Minh Nguyen, Christian Ramirez, Vivek Jani
High Quality Animation Awards
Team 41: Victorious Secret: Robbie Corpuz, Nic Maroun, Samuel Choueiry, Jonathan Chan
Team 26 - Lost and Confused: Emilee Kang, Fredy Rabadan, Euan Tan, John Tayag
High Quality Design Feature Awards
Team 17 - Double Stuffff: Sam Bartell, Hayley Chong, Ashley Qu, Adam Zeman
Team 24 - JAA Squad: Austin Torgerson, Alec Schardein, Jonathan Luu
3D Printing Awards
Team 13 - FRIDAY the 13th: Barbara Souza, Teo Dinescu, Connor Watson, Nico Fassardi
Team 34 - MAe-Harmony.com: Yajur Maker, Alison Meagher, Josef Niels Griedel, Ethan Jen
Page updated
Report abuse