The School of Engineering (SoE) at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) proudly co-hosted the Grand Robotics Engineering and Technology (GREAT) Challenge Hackathon, providing a unique platform for students to address real-world industry challenges in fields such as agriculture, healthcare, logistics, and beyond, with the event running from 13th to 15th September 2024. 

This initiative was led by Ir Ts Dr Denesh Sooriamoorthy (Senior Lecturer, SoE at APU). 

Key contributors of the hackathon included:

1. Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation (MRANTI)
2. SCUTTLE Robotics LLC
3. Intel Corporation
4. Viam
5. Professor Dr Ho Chin Kuan, Vice-Chancellor of APU
6. Professor Ir EurIng Ts Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, APIIT Education Group and APU’s Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer
7. Assoc Prof Ir Dr Siva Kumar Sivanesan, Head of School of the School of Engineering at APU
8. Mr Zulhairy B Sahari (Lab Technician, SoE at APU)

Day One: Empowering through Immersive Learning and Industry Expertise

The first day of the event kicked off with inspiring opening speeches by Mr Mohd Alhafidz, Manager of the Innovation Ecosystem at MRANTI, and Dr Siva, encouraging students to embrace creativity and push the boundaries of robotics innovation.

Next, Dr NorAzmi Alias, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Katapult Asia, shared on industry challenges tied to the National Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the role of mobile robotics in driving Malaysia’s innovation and sustainability efforts.

This was followed by an engaging session led by Mr Lim Xiang Yang, Software Enabling and Optimisation Engineer at Intel Corporation, who showcased Intel’s cutting-edge AI-driven technologies through the Intel Edge Insight for Autonomous Mobile Robots platform.

The first day of the event concluded with an inspiring discussion with Mr Nick Hehr, Senior Developer Advocate at Viam, providing a live demonstration of SCUTTLE robotics powered by Viam’s open-source software, broadening students’ understanding of global advancements in robotics.

Day Two: Practical Training and Creative Ideation

On the second day of the event, students were split into two parallel tracks for intensive hands-on tutorials.

Track 1 focused on the SCUTTLE Pi-Viam Tutorial, while Track 2 focused on the SCUTTLE Intel AMR Tutorial.

These sessions equipped students with practical knowledge for integrating the Intel and Viam platforms with the SCUTTLE robotic kits, enhancing their technical skills and bridging the gap between theory and real-world application.

In the evening, students entered the ideation and concept generation phase, where they began shaping their project ideas. 

This session was skillfully mentored by: 

1. Assoc Prof Ts Dr Sathish Kumar Selva Perumal (Associate Professor, SoE at APU)
2. Ir Narendran Ramasenderan (Assistant Professor, SoE at APU)
3. Ir Ts Dr Alexander Chee Hon Cheong (Assistant Professor, SoE at APU)
4. Ts Suresh Gobee (Senior Lecturer, SoE at APU)
5. Dr Chandrasekharan Nataraj (Senior Lecturer, SoE at APU)
6. Ir Ts Dr Yvette Shaan-Li Susiapan (Senior Lecturer, SoE at APU)

Day Three: Final Presentations and Expert Evaluation

The final day of the event concluded with the highly anticipated pitching session, where students showcased their innovative projects.

The morning was dedicated to perfecting pitch decks and learning techniques to effectively present their ideas.

By noon, the students were prepared to face their ultimate challenge, which is presenting their projects to a panel of industry and academic experts.

The judges evaluated projects based on innovation, feasibility, and potential impact, offering insightful feedback that enriched the students’ learning experience.

The top six teams from the pitching session were selected to advance to the Prototyping Stage of the National Robotics Grand Challenge, impressing judges with their innovative solutions and earning support through loan kits and funding.

Reflections on the GREAT Challenge Hackathon

The GREAT Challenge Hackathon was an inspiring event that brought together students, mentors, and industry experts to push the boundaries of robotics innovation, which, according to Prof Vinesh, successfully prepared future innovators to address global challenges.

On a forward-looking note, he emphasised that the GREAT Challenge Hackathon underscored APU’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of technological pioneers, inspiring them to contribute to a brighter and more innovative future, marking the hackathon as a beacon of progress and collaboration in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).