MassRobotics announces its 2nd annual Form and Function Robotics Challenge with a grand prize of $10,000 along with $1000 prizes for second and third place and a $1,000 Audience Choice Award.  The challenge calls for university teams to create any type of robotics or automation project that delivers a compelling form factor specific to its task while accomplishing a useful function. This challenge encourages cross collaboration between MassRobotics partners’ state of the art software and hardware providers including  AMD, Analog Devices, Danfoss, Festo, Lattice Semiconductor, Mitsubishi Electric, Novanta, Solidworks and igus. 

“This challenge pairs well with student projects, capstones, and existing works,” shares Russell Nickerson, MassRobotics Partner Engagement Liaison. “It is also a great way for students to work with industry leaders and get exposure to state-of-the-art components offered by our partners.”

Teams will utilize at least two partnered organization’s offerings to build a solution that must sense, compute and actuate. Judging criteria will include originality, inspiration and impression, durability and reliability, challenge being solved, and overall execution of the project. 

“Analog Devices is excited to participate with MassRobotics once again in the Form and Function challenge,” shares Natalie Brown, Analog Devices. “The challenge provides bi-directional learning with technology that paves the way for innovation in robotics and introduces teams to ADI as a future employer, supplier or partner.”   

Applications will remain open until February 12th, 2024. Once accepted, teams have from February 20th to May 1st to work on their projects. The teams will showcase their work at the Robotics Summit & Expo on May 1st and 2nd at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.  

“The Form & Function Challenge added a thrilling dimension to the Robotics Summit in 2023,” said Steve Crowe, Executive Editor, Robotics, WTWH Media and Chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo. “It’s always great to see what creative students come up with around the world. We’re ecstatic to be hosting the finals again at the 2024 Robotics Summit and can’t wait to see the innovations the teams come up with.”

More information on how to apply here and there will be an information session held on January 18^th at 5:00 (join here)