Emirates Robotics Competition Win for Middlesex University Dubai
- Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Two teams of students from Middlesex University (MDX) Dubai have taken top spots at the recent Emirates Robotics competition.
Held on 8 April 2025, organised and hosted by the American University of Sharjah in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation, MDX Dubai’s robotics talent stood out in the ‘Recycling Manipulator Challenge’.
This challenge called on teams to build robotic manipulators capable of sorting various types of waste materials, a vital step toward sustainable recycling and environmental impact reduction.
Competing against over 100 top teams from universities across the UAE, MDX Dubai won the challenge for the third year running.
Team ArmPicks, led by BEng Computer Systems Engineering student Muhammad Siraj Bilal, clinched both the first-place award and the best poster award, taking home an AED 15,000 prize.
Muhammad said: “This is our first time winning the Emirates Robotics Competition, and it truly means the world to us. Especially for me, this victory is personal. After facing a tough setback in last year’s challenge, I promised myself I’d come back stronger - and today, I’m grateful that every late night, every failed trial, and every learning moment paid off.
“From building and training AI models, to calibrating the manipulator using complex mathematical concepts, to integrating it all into a functioning system, it’s been a journey of intense learning and even more intense teamwork.”
Team Overcharged and Undervolted, led by BSc Information Technology student Aman Mishra, earned the second place award in the ‘Mobile Robot Challenge’ and the best innovation award, claiming an AED 10,000 prize.
Aman said: “While securing second place was initially disappointing, it also indicates there's room for growth and improvement. I'm committed to continuing the development of this robot, determined to achieve even greater performance in future challenges.
“This experience has reinforced my passion for robotics and innovation, driving me to continue pursuing advancements in technology and AI for a brighter, sustainable future.”
All the teams were mentored by Dr Judhi Prasetyo, Senior CEI Lecturer and Founder of RoboTechX at MDX Dubai, and were fully funded by the university. The victories add to MDX Dubai’s growing stature and legacy in the Robotics field, which is taught at MSc level and also embedded into the undergraduate curriculum.
