Wright State Wins 2012 ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition

The Institute of Navigation (ION) announces that Wright State University won top prize at the ninth annual 2012 Robotic Lawn Mower Competition held May 31 – June 2 at Siebenthaler’s Beaver Valley Garden Center in Dayton, Ohio.

Sponsored by the Institute of Navigation Satellite Division and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Sensors Directorate, the ION Annual Robotic Lawn Mower Competition is a national event for college and university students, future engineers and problem solvers, that challenges them to design and operate a robotic, unmanned lawn mower using the art and science of navigation to rapidly and accurately mow a field of grass.

Eleven teams participated during the three day competition, each using unique design approaches. Teams included students and faculty advisors from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama; Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (two teams); California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, California; Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; University of Michigan Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan; University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida; Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York; Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, Georgia; and Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

The 2012 ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition consisted of two separate categories: Basic Autonomous Mowing (Static) and Advanced Autonomous Mowing (Dynamic). The teams were judged in each category based on their total scores; 80% of the total score was  based on the mowing competition and 20% of the total score was based on the presentation and report.

First place in the advanced Dynamic Competition, with $15,000 in prize money, was awarded to Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. Second place in the Dynamic Competition, with $10,000 in prize money, was awarded to Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Third place in the Dynamic Competition, with $5,000 in prize money, was awarded to Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.

First place in the beginning Static Competition was awarded to the California State University, Fullerton, California. Second place prize in the Static Competition was awarded to the Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. Third place in the Static Competition was awarded to the University of Michigan, Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan.

In addition to The Institute of Navigation Satellite Division and the Air Force Research Laboratory, sponsors included Honeywell, John Deere, The Joint Services Data Exchange, Northrop Grumman and Siebenthaler’s Garden Center.

The Tenth Annual ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition will be held May 30 – June 1, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio.