Russian Team Wins Underwater Robotics Championship

Each year, this competition attracts teams of specialists in underwater robototronics from all over the world.

This year, the theme of the competition was the research of sunken World War II vessels. The participants saw a simulated event in which the fuel materials of the sunken vessels consisted of an environmental threat that had to be neutralised. The teams were challenged to develop methods for secure fuel extraction.

Several technical elements were specially created for this device, for example, components for the engine are made out of plastic using a 3D printer. The leader of the team, specialist of the FEFU Department of students’ scientific research work, Mr. Sergey Moon, said that year by year the tasks get more difficult and interesting. He sees the competition as the climax of their work: all team members worked to create the machine. However, the completion of the device is only half of the success. Only clear and harmonious teamwork during the competitions can lead to victory.

There is a stereotype that robotics engineering is a job for men, but a girl had also joined the FEFU team: Ms. Angelina Borovskaya, 4th-year student from the FEFU School of Engineering. The Marine Advanced Technology Education Centre (MATE Centre) is the organiser of the MATE ROV Competition 2012 and other international competitions on underwater robotics.