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Education News
Dan Gunderson

Robot snowplow competition a glimpse of the future

a small robot pushes snow
Students compete in the 13th Annual Autonomous Snowplow Competition at Dunwoody College of Technology on Jan. 21, 2023.
Courtesy of Dunwoody College 2023

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College teams are in Minneapolis for the 14th Annual Autonomous Snowplow Competition on Saturday at Dunwoody College of Technology. On paper, they have a straightforward charge.

“It snowed overnight and you open up the garage door and you hit a button. This vehicle is designed to go out in your driveway, completely clear the snow from your driveway, and then go park itself back into the garage,” said Dunwoody Dean of Robotics and Manufacturing E.J. Daigle.

Finding snow was a challenge for this year’s event, so organizers purchased a machine to make snow for four days ahead of the competition.

Eight teams are competing this year, down from an average of about a dozen, Daigle said. Students from many disciplines are needed to design, build and operate autonomous vehicles that can respond to winter conditions.

“As soon as you start putting snow on that plow blade, which is a lever, it’s going to push it off track. And then as soon as you get some wheel slippage because of some ice or some snow under the wheel you lose traction, and that’s also going to put it off track.”

a small machine with a snow blade on the front
Robot snowplows take turns clearing snow at Dunwoody College in Minneapolis on Jan. 21, 2023.
Courtesy of Dunwoody College 2023

Teams use GPS, radar, cameras, sensors and computer algorithms to control the vehicles.

“It’s like a real world application of calculus and physics that the students don’t get to do in the college lecture room,” said Daigle.

The students at the competition also have a chance to meet and learn from industry experts in robotics who serve as competition judges.

Autonomous snowplows are already available for commercial applications, and Daigle said it might take longer to develop vehicles that can handle more complex residential conditions.