MassRobotics announced the winners of its 3rd Form & Function University Robotics Challenge. Fifteen teams from around the globe showcased their robotics and automation projects, competing for cash prizes. The idea of this challenge is to create a robot that looks good (Form) and works (Function).

Components and software were donated to the teams by our sponsors: Altium, AMD, Analog Devices, Autodesk, Copley Controls, Danfoss, FESTO, Harmonic Drive, Igus, Lattice Semiconductor,Maxon, Mitsubishi Electric, Novanta, helping the student teams utilize the latest offerings in the industry. A panel of judges from the robotics industry selected the Transformative Robotics Lab Northeastern University team with their Soft Robotic Arm Screwdriver that spun and safely scrubbed plates as this year’s first prize winner.

As a first in Form and Function history, Second prize and Audience choice were both awarded to the same team, University of Waterloo Gripper for First Responders. This team had a unique gripper and arm that could assess victims in an emergency situation.

Third prize was awarded to the returning Heat Robotics University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus Wildfire Containment team with their continued development and enhancements to their approach to fighting and preventing wildfires.

The competition was intense this year and the Judges felt compelled to give an honorable mention to the Kurtz Robotics Boston University Automated Grow Bed team for its robot that can pick tomatoes in a scalable cost effective way.

All of the teams showcased innovative and budding solutions that impressed attendees. Students reported that companies were already offering jobs or even offering to work with them on their solution. The experience of interacting and networking with industry professionals was priceless to researchers who often don’t get their work seen outside of their campus or labs.