Honeywell Robotics Program

Honeywell Technology Solutions Lab in India launched the Honeywell Robotics Program in 2004 which allows students to gain “hands-on”, team-based, problem solving experience with science and technology. This is a competitive program to inspire scientific and technological curiosity in young students by allowing them to design, build, and program computer robots for a specific challenge.

This year’s challenge is “Mission Mars,” which is appropriate given the recent rover landing on the “red planet.” Elements of the Mission Mars challenge are modeled after the same challenges that the rover ‘Spirit’ faced on Mars. At the tournament, each robot runs autonomously around a specifically designed course, and points are awarded for completing specific parts of the Mission Mars challenge. Robot missions include launching a sample canister, freeing a rover, retrieving ice cores, clearing dust from a solar panel, and completing the construction of habitation modules-some of the same problems NASA engineers are currently facing. Each team has its robot perform on a tabletop “playing field.” The robot must complete as many of the tasks as possible during a two and a half-minute time period. Teams also meet with judges to be interviewed in regard to the plans and logistics considered during their construction and programming of the robots. 

Employees in Bangalore serve as volunteers and are the driving forces behind the social responsibility and involvement in various activities built around it. These employees contribute countless hours acting as mentors and rolling up their sleeves to take part in Honeywell Hometown Solutions.