Local Robotics Teams Shine at WRO 2025 National Qualifiers!

 Local robotics enthusiasts from the PRESEC Robotics & Programming Club (PRPC) of PRESEC, Legon, demonstrated exceptional talent and ingenuity at the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) 2025 National Qualifiers held on Saturday, July 19th, 2025, at the Central Cafeteria, University of Ghana. Competing in both the highly challenging RoboMission and Future Innovators categories, our teams showcased cutting-edge robotic solutions and secured impressive placements, highlighting their dedication to STEM education.

Team Lumen Places 4th at Nationals in RoboMission Category

Team Lumen, competing in the RoboMission Senior Category, achieved a remarkable 4th place nationally. The RoboMission objective was to design and program an autonomous EV3-based robot to perform space-themed rocket assembly missions, including bolt placement, nose part installation, and payload loading. Team Lumen, comprised of Samuel Liyendey Lefoneh, Kweku Brempong Nkansah, Angelo Apenkwah, Joshua Mba Bacha, and Christian Ofori-Appiah Amoafo, developed a fast, stable, and highly accurate robot. Their robot featured a differential drive system with two EV3 medium motors, a semi-circular gantry for lifting powered by an EV3 Large Motor, a rotating four-pronged clamp for payload and bolt manipulation, and four EV3 color sensors. All hardware was connected directly to the EV3, running Pybricks MicroPython, eliminating external microcontrollers. Custom parts, including wheels and the gantry frame, were 3D printed to optimize weight and space efficiency.

Despite a strong pre-event performance where their robot scored 124 points under ideal conditions, the team encountered an uneven competition mat on the day of the qualifiers, causing one wheel to lose ground contact and skewing the robot’s movement. Despite their concerns being acknowledged, the team demonstrated incredible adaptability by modifying their autonomous path mid-event to navigate around the central seam. This quick thinking and problem-solving under pressure were key highlights of their performance.

The team learned valuable lessons about contingency planning and the importance of testing on various terrain imperfections for future competitions. Their success underscores the significance of a robust and simple design, as well as strong team collaboration.

Team Cleansweep Emerges Victorious in Future Innovators Category!

In a resounding success, Team Cleansweep clinched victory in the WRO Future Innovators category with their groundbreaking “Cleanover” project. This win is a testament to their innovative spirit and commitment to addressing real-world problems through robotics.

The Future Innovators category challenged teams to develop an innovative and functioning robotic solution that helps solve real-world problems. Team Cleansweep’s “Cleanover” project is a semi-autonomous rover designed to clean solid waste from street-side gutters in urban Ghana, aiming to reduce flooding and improve sanitation. The team, consisting of Aforo Emmanuel Amoh, Anum Ryan Nii-Akwei, Asare Kofi Brako Junior, Oblitey Josiah Nii Oblitey, Okuntade Emmanuel George, and Quarcoo Stesha Tettey Buadjorm, developed a sophisticated system. This included a Flask-based web dashboard for controlling, receiving, and sending data to the robot’s various components, with virtual joystick control and live webcam feed streaming. They also initiated IMU programming and GPS Navigation programming, implemented Offline Maps for local geolocation, and utilized OpenCV and Pyserial for a Python-based edge-following program. The robot also featured an L-shaped surgical intake system for waste collection.

 

During the competition, Team Cleansweep’s presentation to the judges was smooth, showcasing their unity as a team by collaboratively answering questions. While a minor hiccup during their robot’s demonstration required a quick restart, the team effectively resolved the issue, demonstrating their problem-solving skills under pressure.

The team highlighted the invaluable role of technical consultations with external advisors, the enhanced control offered by their web dashboard, and their ability to diagnose and fix critical issues during development as key factors in their success. The “Cleanover” project’s focus on a tangible community problem (gutter cleaning in Ghana) and its exploration of innovation and entrepreneurship aspects perfectly aligned with the competition’s objectives.

Looking Forward

Both teams demonstrated the incredible potential of our young robotics engineers. Their dedication, resilience, and innovative thinking are an inspiration to us all. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation (GRAF) for organizing such a pivotal event and providing our students with this invaluable platform to showcase their talents and foster their growth in STEM.

With their national win, Team Cleansweep now sets its sights on the international finals. We are confident that their “Cleanover” project will continue to impress and that they will represent [Your School/Organization Name] and Ghana with distinction on the global stage! We eagerly anticipate their future successes in the field of robotics.