Hosted in the School of Computer Science and Engineering, the event brought together 20 students from across the School to explore robotics and develop innovative solutions using Quanser QArm Mini robotic arms, kindly provided by Quanser who partner with universities worldwide to deliver advanced lab ecosystems in control, robotics and autonomous systems. Quanser also sponsored the event, handing out £175 worth of prizes to the top two teams. The hackathon offered participants a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with industrial-grade educational robotics while working in multidisciplinary teams to solve practical challenges.
The hackathon began on Monday with a series of hands-on laboratory exercises introducing students to the QArm Mini platform. Teams learned how to program the robotic arms using either MATLAB or Python, allowing participants to work with technologies familiar to their background and interests. Despite many students having little prior experience with robotic hardware, they quickly grasped the fundamentals and began developing ambitious ideas for the following day's competition.
On Tuesday, teams put their new skills to the test by creating robotic systems designed to perform practical tasks, with additional points awarded for innovation and "the cool factor". The resulting projects demonstrated an impressive range of technical approaches and creative thinking.
Among the entries was a voice-controlled mechanical assistant capable of facial and object recognition, showcasing the integration of robotics with modern artificial intelligence techniques. Another team developed a basketball-playing robot, complete with a custom-designed and 3D-printed basketball hoop. A third team created a sophisticated parts-picking system that used QR code recognition to identify components and determine their orientation before manipulating them with the robotic arm.
The overall winning entry was a leader-follower robotic system, which impressed the judging panel with its technical sophistication and real-world applicability. The project demonstrated how one robotic arm could direct the movements of another, highlighting concepts commonly found in advanced industrial automation and collaborative robotics.
Dr Peter Butcher, who co-organised the event, praised the enthusiasm and ingenuity displayed by the students throughout the hackathon.
It was excellent to get to work with such an enthusiastic group of students from all departments of the school over the two days. As ever, the creativity of the students shone through in their solutions. It was very impressive to see how quickly the teams got up to speed with unfamiliar hardware. The QArm Minis proved to be very versatile, enabling four completely unique submissions. Thanks to James Russell from Quanser who made the event possible.
The success of the Robotics Hackathon highlights SCSE's commitment to providing students with practical, industry-relevant experiences that complement their academic studies. By working with cutting-edge robotics technology and tackling open-ended engineering challenges, participants developed valuable skills in programming, problem-solving, teamwork, and rapid prototyping.
With strong support from industry partners such as Quanser and the enthusiasm shown by students, the event demonstrated the exciting opportunities available at Bangor University while showcasing the innovative spirit that continues to thrive within the School.
Special thanks go to the excellent student volunteers from the Robotics Society who helped make the event a success, to Sean Price, School alumnus, and to James Russell, Field Sales Engineer at Quanser who loaned the School the QArm Mini robotics kits, arranged the prizes, and mentored the students during the event.
Photographs from the event
Winners
