JOIN USA tryst with robots and machines
Popular Bollywood numbers like You are my Chhammak Chhalo and
Lungi Dance is blaring in the backdrop but students at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Delhi) seem to be in no mood to savour the music.
Their small robots seem to be keeping them engaged. Last-minute check of programming, sensors and wiring is an essential part of their ‘Robotryst’ competition, a crucial part of the IIT’s annual technical fest ‘Tryst’.
Hundreds of students from across the country are eagerly awaiting their turn to place their robots on the table for the ‘Line Following Robot- iRoboTricks’ competition. “In this competition the robot has to follow the line drawn on the table. Four teams participate at a time and the robot which reaches the destination first without losing control is the winner,” explains Vasant, a student of Karapaga Vinayaga College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai.
As Vasant and his team bubbles with excitement, Sachin Kumar and Faizy Ali Kamani of Aligarh Muslim University, have worry lines on their forehead. “It is the game of programming and sensors. How accurate they are? Considering the gloomy weather, sensors might not work properly,” says Sachin, first year student
of electronics.
But Phaneesh and Nagaraj of KS School of Engineering and Management, Bangalore say it is the ‘test of programming codes’ installed in the robot. “If programming codes are not correct then speed will vary. If the speed is high, the robot will not sense the line,” says Phaneesh, third year student of electronics.
Besides, iRoboTricks, web development, android app development, cloud computing, ethical hacking, embedded systems, engine design and quadcopter were the popular technical competition at the three-day fest. The Departments even organised separate activities like Department of Electrical Engineering organised Metal Mine competition where students designed metal detectors. Also debugging and electro quiz attracted participation of many students.
Similarly, Department of Textile organised activities like treasure hunt and tex word, and Civil Engineering Society organised quiz on transport, photography, palace of cards and debate. Lecture series was also a part of the festival where Andrew Newton, world renowned hypnotist, BN Suresh Founder-Director IIST, Avinash Chander DRDO chief, Walter Lwin , Dutch Astro-Physicist, to name a few, delivered lectures.
Interestingly, ‘Tryst’ was not just for engineering students. A lot many youngsters actively participated in the Rubik’s cube competition. “It is the biggest in North India by World Cubic Association,” says Aakash, second year student of IIT-D, Mathematics and Computing. “Many kids have participated in the event as it is popular among them,” says Aakash, himself an expert in the game and practises Rubik’s cube for atleast two to three hours a day.