Posted on Monday, April 19, 2010
Westminster College senior computer science major Jordan Camara placed seventh in his division at the Trinity College Fire-Fighting Home Robot Contest April 11 in Hartford, Conn.
"Alfred," Camara's capstone research project, was supervised by Dr. David Shaffer, Westminster associate professor of computer science, who accompanied Camara to the competition.
The annual robotics contest drew entries from all over the world for a variety of competitions. The main event involved the design of a computerized robot to traverse a maze to find and extinguish a candle.
"Each robot was given two trials to qualify for a third," Camara explained. "Scoring was based on the time it took to put out the candle, but penalty points were given for touching the walls or the candle."
"Alfred" succeeded in extinguishing the candle in two of its three runs in competition with 43 robots.
"I was simply astounded by the diversity in robotic designs: each robot approached the problem in its own way," Camara added. "The competition really was a prime opportunity for students and inventors to hone skills that will be important in the robotics industry and for helping to solve many real-life problems. I'm grateful to have been given this opportunity to participate."
Camara is a son of Armando Camara of Hermitage and a graduate of LaSalle Green Hills High School.
Camara's project was funded by an undergraduate research grant from Westminster's Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and by Westminster's Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning was created to enrich undergraduate education at Westminster through advancing world-class teaching as well as by participating in collaborations that address community and regional needs including strengthening K-12 education. The Undergraduate Research Initiative provides funding for students to conduct research and to present their research at regional and national conferences.
Contact Shaffer at (724) 946-7292 or e-mail shaffecd@westminster.edu for additional information. Visit www.trincoll.edu/events/robot for additional information about the competition.
