Philips Dynalite’s R&D Firmware Manager, Rus, recently coached a team of a team of aspiring engineers in the ‘FIRST Australia’ Lego League Championship, a robotics competition held at Macquarie University.

FIRST LEGO League introduces science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to children ages 4-16 through fun and exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experience through a guided global robotics program, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together.

Rus’ team, ‘The Flaming Muffins’, came 5^th out of 32 teams in the Robotics missions, and won an additional award for Core Values. They were one of eight teams selected to go to Nationals which will be held in December.

About their project

The theme of this year’s competition, Unearthed, inspired The Flaming Muffins to dive into the world of archaeology – discovering how ancient artefacts are uncovered.

As part of their project, they met with an Archaeologist to discuss the key challenges faced on archeological sites. These problems included unpredictable weather, no cellular reception, and limited shelter and emergency support.

The team’s solution was to design a prototype caravan with built in communication marker deployment, a durable weather canopy with water mister to reduce dust, solar panels, and storage solutions for quick access emergency kits and flood barriers.

The Flaming Muffins took a collaborative approach to the challenge, prioritising teamwork, innovation, inclusion, and fun. 

Congratulations to the students, coaches and volunteers involved. We’re very proud to support your journey of education, inspiration, and growth in STEM.

UPDATE

After competing in the Nationals competition in December, Rus’ team, “The Flaming Muffins” finished 24th in the robot missions. Whilst they were not selected to progress to the next round of competition, Internationals, they were recognised with the “Motivate Award” for their hard work and dedication to the tournament. Well done, team!