UMD Robotics Team Advances to Semifinals at 2024 RoboSub Competition

Students from the University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science recently advanced to the semifinals of the 2024 RoboSub competition held in Irvine, California. The international competition, hosted annually, challenges student teams to design, build and program autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) capable of completing complex tasks that simulate real-world underwater scenarios. 

The UMD Robotics team, consisting of 16 members from various departments, included computer science majors Ishaan Ghosh (B.S. '26, computer science), Brant Jiang (B.S. '25, computer science) and Harshita Kalbhor (B.S. '25, computer science), who played key roles in developing the AUV’s software and managing technical setbacks during the competition. 

RoboSub, established in 1998, offers an opportunity for university students worldwide to demonstrate their engineering, programming and problem-solving skills in an aquatic environment. For UMD, participating in the event has been a long-standing tradition, dating back to 2013.

“It’s just been a legacy tradition for UMD to compete at RoboSub,” Jiang said. “We keep that tradition because the competition gives us much hands-on experience. It’s a place to apply what we learn in the classroom to a real-world problem.”

The team began their preparations early in the school year, starting as soon as the fall semester started. This year’s vehicle incorporated lessons from previous years, blending tried-and-true techniques with innovative new systems.

“We start working on it as early as move-in day,” Jiang explained. “We go over the robot and brainstorm how to improve and refine the systems we already have in place. It's a steady process until the spring semester ends, and the work ramps up over the summer.”

Technical Setbacks

Despite their preparation, the team encountered several challenges, both in the lead-up to the competition and during the event itself. The most significant issue arose just one week before the team traveled to Irvine.

“A flood inside our electronics compartment during a test caused all kinds of issues,” Ghosh said. “Water and electronics don’t mix well, and our computer system was fried. We had to rebuild most of the electrical systems right before the competition.”

The flood incident presented the team with a major setback, forcing them to dedicate long hours to repairs. For the students, the issue was a reminder of the difficulties inherent in underwater robotics, where even minor mishaps can have significant consequences.

“Getting the robot to function underwater is an incredible task, even before we start dealing with the competition’s challenges,” Ghosh shared. “We spent days fixing the electrical systems, but eventually, we got the robot back in the water and ready for competition.”

The Role of Computer Science

While the mechanical and electrical aspects of the AUV were crucial to its performance, the competition heavily relied on software, particularly in computer vision and autonomy.

“Computer science plays a huge role in robotics,” Kalbhor expressed. “Our AUV has to make decisions based on the environment, and that’s where computer vision comes in. We use the camera to figure out what the robot is seeing and make decisions from there.”

Jiang elaborated on the complex interaction between the vehicle’s hardware and software, describing it as a symbiotic relationship.

“If you think of the robot as a human, the mechanical and electrical systems are the body, while the software is the brain,” he said. “Without the body, the brain can’t function, and without the brain, the body doesn’t know what to do. It’s all tightly coupled.”

Looking Ahead

UMD’s advancement to the semifinals marked a significant achievement, especially given the technical difficulties they encountered. However, the team emphasized that the experience was as much about learning and collaboration as it was about competition.

“We learned a lot, not just from each other, but also from the other teams at the competition,” Kalbhor said. “Whenever we had questions or needed help, we could always turn to the team next to us. It’s a great community, and we all benefit from sharing knowledge.”

The team’s overarching goal was to ensure that younger members could carry forward what they had learned. In previous years, the UMD robotics club has struggled to maintain continuity, with knowledge often lost as senior members graduate.

“This year, we made a conscious effort to bring in more underclassmen,” Kalbhor said. “We had 16 people on the team, compared to just eight in previous years. By involving more freshmen and sophomores, we hope to pass on our knowledge and ensure the team remains strong in the future.”

As the 2024 RoboSub competition ended, the UMD team reflected on their experience and looked ahead to future competitions. With a strong foundation of technical knowledge and a renewed focus on team development, they are poised to build on their success in the coming years.

“Making it to the semifinals was a great achievement,” Kalbhor shared. “But more importantly, we’ve built a team to advance this tradition. That’s what will stick with us moving forward.”

—Story by Samuel Malede Zewdu, CS Communications 

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Other team members include:

Dominik Blaho (B.S. '25, aerospace engineering)  

Grace Cai (B.S. '27, computer science; B.S. '27, physics)  

Dillon Capalongo (B.S. '24, mechanical engineering)  

Erik Chapman (B.S. '24, electrical engineering)  

Manny Gancayco (B.S. '24, mechanical engineering)  

Leo Jiang (B.S. '27, computer science)  

Max Jin (B.S. '27, computer science)  

Kurt Kovacs (B.S. '26, electrical engineering)  

Neha Rajasekaran (B.S. '26, computer science)  

Reese Snook (B.S. '26, mechanical engineering)  

Tommy Wolcott (B.S. '26, computer science; B.S. '26, physics)  

Alex Yelovich (B.S. '25, computer science; B.S. '25, mathematics)  

Brian Zagalsky (B.S. '25, electrical engineering)