Robologi

A lot can happen in just one week. You can travel to another country, join a unique problem-solving event, and make friends with people from all across the world. I did all this and more during the week of October 14-20, 2024. I experienced what many consider a once-in-a-lifetime event. Earlier this year, I applied for the SICK Solution Hackathon and was accepted, along with 102 other students and engineers from around the world. So, I traveled with Fayez Bassalat and Samuli Ahokas, colleagues from Metropolia, to Freiburg, Germany. The idea behind this Hackathon was to invite bright minds from all walks of life to problem-solve, innovate, and create solutions to current or future problems using the hardware and software of the host, SICK, and their partners. Usually, teams are formed during the first steps of the event. However, I was already part of a team with Fayez and Samuli. We managed to pick up one more member, Niilo Jaakkola, an IT student from the University of Tampere. The Challenge Picture: Fayez, Samuli, and Niilo listening to one of the Hackathon coaches. We were given a myriad of problems to solve, but we decided to come up with our own idea. We explored the possibility of using Lidars and cameras in tandem with Augmented Reality to help drivers see around blind corners. Working non-stop for two days was mentally and physically exhausting. Long days with only breaks for food and coffee. But we pushed through and eventually got a working demonstration of the concept. We presented it on Livestream to up to 250,000 people, along with all the other groups and their solutions. Truthfully, I think our presentation fell a bit flat compared to others. However, we were commended for our efforts and for getting a working demonstration done in less than 48 hours, when their R&D had been trying to do the same for nearly a month. This shows that working on a myriad of projects, be it through courses or through Metropolia’s collaboration platforms like Robo Garage and AIoT Garage, has it merits. Picture: Example of our solution in action. The blue lines visualize the walls, overlaid onto a video feed. Overcoming Hurdles Picture: Niilo, Jesse and Samuli on stage presenting our solution. I had never been to a hackathon before this, so I wasn’t fully sure what was expected of me. This caused me to stress out a bit and led to some miscommunication within the group. However, we overcame these hurdles with the help of other groups and the coaching staff. The hackathon veterans told us that it’s part of the experience and it will get easier over time. Personal Growth During the week, I honed my project management skills by working with new and familiar faces, trying to combine our strengths to overcome our weaknesses. I connected with people from all over the world, making friends with contestants from the USA and South Africa, who are now LinkedIn connections. There was even a team with half Japanese and half Georgian contestants who didn’t have a common language but still managed to compete and win. I also practiced presenting to a massive audience of people worldwide, standing tall and proud, even though inside I was terrified. All in all, this was the most intense learning experience of my life. And I would do it again if I got the chance! Writer: Jesse Bové Robo Garage assistant & Mechanical automation engineering student Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Pictures by Andreas Kusy Photography