Achievements

Archimedes achieved 5th place in the Autonomy Challenge and was awarded USD $4,000.

Going into RobotX 2024, we faced significant challenges. With no prior experience in RobotX and no senior members to guide us — unlike many other teams — we had to figure everything out from scratch. On top of that, having international dissertation students on the team introduced coordination issues, as time zone differences and limited opportunities for in-person testing slowed down collaboration.

Logistically, navigating legal documentation and the strict cargo requirements for international shipment was daunting. But Tz Yuan, our Deputy Team Lead (current Team Lead), stepped up and successfully managed the entire shipment process, ensuring our equipment reached the U.S. and returned safely — no small feat for a first-time team.

Despite limited resources and numerous setbacks, we pressed on. Many of our systems weren't functioning as expected in the early stages. We didn't think we would make it to the semi-finals of the Autonomy Challenge, let alone the finals. But through continuous iteration and adjustment, we made steady progress.

Ultimately, these efforts culminated in our strongest performance in a decade — a result that reflects the boldness and perseverance of the entire team.

VRX is the simulation-based counterpart to the Maritime RobotX Challenge, designed to introduce students to autonomous maritime systems through a Gazebo-based virtual environment. Organised by RoboNation in collaboration with the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), and Open Robotics (OR), VRX provides an open-source platform for teams to design, test, and refine autonomous surface vehicle solutions — entirely in simulation.

Archimedes competed in the 2022 edition of VRX and achieved a 3rd place finish, missing second place by just 1 point. Alongside the USD $1,000 prize, the team was recognised with multiple special awards:

• Remarkable Video Submission Award
• Biggest Leap in Ranking (Phase 2 to Phase 3)
• Phenomenal Open-Source Contributor
• Fee Waiver for the 2023 RoboBoat Competition