Michael Backus
  • Computer Science
  • Class of 2017
  • Raeford, NC

Fayetteville State University Team Member, Michael Backus, Captures First-Place at Robotics Competition

2016 Apr 29

A team from Fayetteville State University (FSU) won first-place in the first Swarmathon competition held April 20-21, 2016 at the Visitor Center of the Kennedy Space Complex in Florida. Students from 12 colleges and universities from across the nation were invited to the contest to develop software codes to operate innovative types of robots called "swarmies." The team won a prize of $5,000.

Michael Backus, a computer science major, participated as a student member of the team. Dr. Sambit Bhattacharya, Associate Professor of Computer Science/Team Mentor Project Leader, accompanied the students.

The Swarmathon was designed to improve student participants' skills in robotics and computer science, as well as integration of hardware and software. Their developments are helping NASA refine technology for future human space exploration.

Specifically, students were asked to develop computer code for the small robots, programming them to look for "resources" in the form of barcodes. The Swarmathon competition provided students an opportunity to put their research to the test.