Rain of Awards As AIRLAB, UNILAG Participants Dazzle at National Competitions

It is raining awards for the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AIRLAB), University of Lagos (UNILAG) as participants in its training programmes continue to give a good account of themselves at various competitions including the latest editions of the FIRST® Tech (FTC) and FIRST® LEGO League (FLL) Challenges.

The FTC and FLL Challenges are initiatives of an international youth organization: For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology (FIRST). The FIRST® yearly robotics competition offers winners the opportunity to transcend to different international competitions in different parts of the world such as Kigali, Rwanda; United States of America (USA); Australia; and, Norway among others.  The AIRLAB UNILAG teenage team competed for FTC while kids team competed for FLL.

For the FIRST® Tech Challenge (ages 12-18), the sterling performance of AIRLAB-UNILAG team, codenamed Team ConTech, earned them a slot in another competition scheduled for July, 2024 in Australia as well as the following awards:

• Think Award (Champions): the award is given to the team that best reflects the journey the team took as they experienced the engineering design process during the build season.
• Inspire Award (2nd runner up): the award is given to the team that best embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge program.

The FTC Competition encourages teams to design, build, program, and engage in thrilling robotics competitions. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills and practice engineering principles, while realizing the value of innovation and teamwork.

Team ConTech comprised UNILAG Undergraduate and Foundation students as well as International School, Lagos (ISL) students. They are as follows:

1. Fasona Pamela, Microbiology, Level: 100
2. Adekunle Abdulazeez, Foundations
3. Fasona Peter, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Level: 100
4. Jaiyeoba Tomi, Quantity survey, Level: 100
5. Lawal Giyath, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Level: 100
6. Olokun Fiyinfoluwa, Mechanical Engineering, Level: 100
7. Omogunwa Victor, Physiotherapy, Level: 100
8. Robert Belema, Biomedical Engineering, Level: 100
9. Akintuyi Oluwatamilore, ISL
10. Nejo Tomisin, ISL

Coaches: Atunrase Ayomide, Dept of Computer Science, Level: 400 and Okoye Jude, Dept of Mathematics, Level: 300.

The team was supported physically at the Challenge by the AIRLAB-UNILAG Team Lead: Chika Yinka-Banjo (Associate Professor, Department of Computer Sciences, UNILAG) along with:

1. Blessing Yama, Current AIRLAB Manager, Mphil/PhD student, Computer Sciences, UNILAG
2. Ogban Ugot, Post Graduate Computer Sciences , UNILAG and Pioneer Volunteer, AIRLAB
3. Adebayo, Joel, Graduate, System’s Engineering, UNILAG and Pioneer Volunteer, AIRLAB
4. Olowoyo Ifedayo Joshua, 300 Level student, Physics, Media Personality for AIRLAB

 

Under the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge, the AIRLAB-UNILAG squad of elementary and middle school students smiled home with the Rising All-Star Award.

The squad is an offshoot of the Laboratory’s annual training programme for kids and teenagers. Under the programme which is held every August since its inception, students are trained to build and code robots as well as solve challenges using robots.

The FLL challenge is aimed at promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) skills; creativity; critical thinking; and teamwork among students, thereby fostering interest in science and technology fields from an early age.

The Challenge involved teams of students working together to build and program a robot using LEGO Mindstorms and Spike Prime kits. These robots are then used to complete a series of missions on a themed playing field, and teams must strategize, design, and program their robots to accomplish specific tasks related to the theme.

In addition to the robotics aspect, the FLL Challenge also has a strong emphasis on research, innovation, and teamwork. Teams are required to identify a real-world problem related to the theme and develop a solution.

To meet their task of identifying a real-world problem related to the theme for the competition this year: Masterpiece, and developing a solution, the team developed a device that alerts adults within the vicinity of a swimming pool if a person is drowning.  The device aims to make swimming more accessible and safer for all.

The AIRLAB UNILAG squad, many of whom are students of the University of Lagos Women Society (ULWS) Nursery and Primary School, included:

1. Yinka – Banjo Joseph Prince
2. Okolocha Alexander Lotachukwu
3. Aminah Ogheneruona Claire
4. Olapoju Oluwadamilola Toluwani
5. Idowu-Samuel Moses Oreofeoluwa
6. Aneyo Jesutofunmi Tabitha
7. Alabi OluwaFikayomi Elizabeth
8. Oshilaja Fiyinfoluwa Esther
9. Oseni Oluwasemilanu Toluwaloju
10. Oladipo Hadassah DiekoloreOluwa
11. Obadina Haneefah Kikidaope
12. Nwaefuna Ifechukwude David
13. Eko Osuwake Victoria

Coaches:

1. Dikenwa David, Dept of Quantity Surveying, Level: 200
2. Oluwatobi Anuoluwapo, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, Level: 300
3. Adebayo, Boluwatife Daniel, Dept of Physiology, Level: Just Graduated

ULWS teachers that chaperoned the squad are: Adebayo Olukayode Samson and Kemi – Hansel Ehrie.

For three years in a row, AIRLAB UNILAG has been sponsored by Coderina Edu Tech to participate in the National Robotics Competition organized by For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology (FIRST).

 

Source:  UNILAG