Neel Mehta
Northrop Grumman has sponsored the 2016 Maritime RobotX Challenge in Honolulu, Hawaii, as part of the company’s effort to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.
The Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International’s charitable organization organized the competition that began Dec. 11 and runs through 18 to inspire the next generation of robotic technology builders, developers and engineers in the U.S. and Pacific Rim nations, Northrop said Wednesday.
“The event’s mission perfectly matches our long-held goal of supporting Japanese engineers who will push the boundaries of the robotics field,†said Jack Dorsett, chief executive of Northrop’s Japanese arm.
“We look forward to expanding these initiatives and further contributing to the development of Japan’s robotic technologies,†Dorsett added.
The 2016 Maritime RobotX Challenge convened 13 teams of university students from the U.S., Singapore, Republic of Korea, Japan and Australia to develop and test an autonomous surface vessel.
Participants go through several qualifying heats during the first five days and will compete in the final round on Sunday.
Northrop engineers will serve as mentors for students throughout the event to provide guidance on the design of autonomous robotic systems for maritime challenges.
