Mountaineers@Work is a team of undergraduate engineering students at West Virginia University (WVU) dedicated to building a competitive robotic system for the RoboCup@Work league. The team modified a commercial PickerBot Pro robot by enhancing its hardware to handle precise tasks in tight industrial spaces and designing robust safety features. This includes the addition of hot-swappable batteries for continuous operation, upgraded fuses and wiring for reliability, and a custom-designed end-effector that grasps competition parts more effectively. Alongside hardware improvements, the team developed specialized software in ROS 2 and Python for navigation, object detection, and manipulator control. Artificial intelligence (AI) assists in identifying and locating objects, allowing the robot to pick up and move items autonomously.
These improvements not only reflect the team’s commitment to safety and innovation but also showcase WVU’s growing focus on experiential learning and research in robotics. Students in the program gain real-world experience by working on competitions and projects that span everything from factory automation to space exploration. Mountaineers@Work exemplifies WVU’s hands-on approach, where mechanical, aerospace, and electrical engineering students collaborate to solve real industrial challenges. Through meticulous design, testing, and integration, the robot stands ready to compete on the international stage—while also demonstrating how university-led robotics research can lead to transformative solutions for industry.
To learn more about our team, our research, our Robot GBB8, and problem-solving approach, check out our full Team Paper linked to the right. Please read and enjoy!
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