By Heather Barker Vermeer Industry Reporter
in 2019 after his teacher put his name forward but admits he knew very little about what aquabots was about. His first year wasn’t the most successful and the team didn't go any further, then he and Aarav formed a new team with classmates Alex and Jamie that would go on to be a winner.
Hobsonville School student, Jamie Young was feeling “really confident” after competing in this year’s international aquabots competition but admits even he was surprised by the result.
Armed with just $20, the maximum amount they were allowed to spend based on the rules of the competition, they bought supplies to modify a prototype Aarav had created and their dream bot was born.
“I thought we would get around the top ten,” says the Year 8 student, one of four members of the Aqua Alphas who ended up placing third worldwide in one of the most challenging parts of the American-based competition: “I couldn’t believe it at all!” Nor could his teammates, Aarav Sharma, Caleb Purcell and Alex Hipperson who all sacrificed countless hours – during and after school and even some of their weekends and school holidays – practising to make sure they were well prepared for the International SeaPerch Competition, which was held online this year due to COVID restrictions. Rewind four years and none of the boys or their teachers had even heard of aquabots – a Ministry of Inspiration underwater robotics programme where students have to build a bot that they can remotely navigate through obstacles at the bottom of a pool. Hobsonville Deputy Principal Brad Hill says the school didn’t Term 1, 2022 | schoolnews.co.nz
“It was a prototype, then we made it our actual bot and then we started doing tests, like who was our best driver,” says Caleb.
hesitate when Principal Anne Leitch was contacted by the father of a student at a nearby school in 2018 to see if they were interested in participating in an Auckland challenge. “We said, 'that sounds fantastic'. We are always trying to develop technology and digital technology and aquabots fell into that quite perfectly. It all started from there.” The school teamed up with Whenuapai Airbase where the students received mentoring from the avionics squadron as they designed and built their own bots. That inaugural team (which Aarav, Caleb, Alex and Jamie weren't part of) did well, winning
the 2018 nationals before heading to America for the SeaPerch Champs in 2019 held at Maryland University in Washington. Last year, the boys' team - the Aqua Alphas - were quick to pick up the mantle at the 2020 nationals in Masterton with Aarav leading them to victory. Now at high school, Aarav says he started aquabots in Year 7 after being selected from about 30 other classmates who had also wanted to be involved. “I thought it was pretty cool to make a vehicle that could go underwater and then compete using it,” he recalls. Caleb was also selected for a team
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Alex, who was already interested in robotics, jumped at the chance to join the team saying he loved the challenge of designing the bot. “I liked the process of making the aquabot and practising. I didn’t mind about the competition so much, I just liked the process and practice.” There were hurdles along the way, propellers fell off and motor problems turned out to be an issue with a tether cable. But, the boys persevered and practised at every opportunity they could. On competition day, the team came face to face with more than 20 other teams from around the country, each having to compete in a series of challenges, including an obstacle course. P28
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Underwater STEAM dream on the world stage
