Racing mice in Skills Challenge

Racing mice have been helping College students develop their electrical/mechanical engineering skills during Colleges Week (10-14th November 2008). Mechatronics students at West Suffolk College were challenged to build, test and race a sound-activated line-tracking robotic mouse in just six hours.

Racing mice have been helping College students develop their electrical/mechanical engineering skills during Colleges Week (10-14th November 2008). Mechatronics students at West Suffolk College were challenged to build, test and race a sound-activated line-tracking robotic mouse in just six hours. Rapid Electronics, a Colchester based electrical/electronic components supplier, kindly donated £40 worth of vouchers as a first prize plus two further £20 vouchers for the runners up.

Jon Clements from Bury St Edmunds was the overall winner with a time of 23.94 seconds, and receives a £40 Rapid voucher. Chris Waters, from Bury St Edmunds, came second with 24.18 and Michael Hamer from Stanton, with 24.35, came third.

The ‘mice’ had to be able to follow a black line on a white background. A sharp sound, such as a handclap, sets them off to run around the track, faithfully following a black line. Three photo-interrupters act as ‘eyes’ and do the tracking.

The mouse comes as a complex kit of parts which require careful assembly and soldering. Power comes from a 4xAA cell battery holder. The two motors and a nylon gearbox kit also require careful assembly.

Tutor Phil Vickers said: "The competition, involving the assembly of well over 100 individual component parts, presented a demanding test of our First Diploma and first year National Diploma students’ electro-mechanical skills.

"They responded magnificently, refusing to be beaten, and producing a high standard of build quality with an exciting race-off to finish. All agreed that it had been one of the most challenging tasks they had ever attempted. Well done to them all."