August 2, 2006 Source: :
http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2006/mr-06-084.html "Transit-Bots" to Compete at Annual UBC Engineering Physics Competition Fifteen teams of UBC engineering students will pit prototype transit robots against each other for prizes and bragging rights in the 6th Annual Robot Competition. Offering solutions to transport athletes and spectators from Vancouver to Whistler during the 2010 Olympics, the second-year engineering physics students have designed and built from scratch automated transit systems to transport passenger dolls quickly and safely between two "cities" on an eight-foot-by-eight-foot battlefield. The competition is the final exam of a 13-week course in practical design. Similar courses are offered at MIT and Stanford. Students learn the basics of electronics and mechanical design, then spend the last six weeks applying the knowledge to construct autonomous robots. The robots are preprogrammed and there will be no remote controls allowed in the competition. Each match will last three minutes and the robot that transports as many athletes and spectators as possible wins. UBC Physics Prof. Andre Marziali, head instructor of the course, will assume rescue duty to ensure "passengers" fallen from the robots do not catch fire during the heated competition. - 30 - Event: Students in summer Engineering Physics course design "transit robot" transportation solutions for Vancouver Olympics Date/Time: Thursday, Aug. 3, 2006 10 a.m. – 12 noon. Place: Hennings Bldg., Rm. 200, 6224 Agricultural Road, UBC. For a map and nearest parking, visit: www.maps.ubc.ca?652 Visuals: Student-designed automated robots transporting dolls. Students and instructor will be available for interviews. Set up space will be available for TV cameras.
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