Purdue hosts seven Indiana schools at regional nanoline competition

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — People can see projects that will wash their hands, under their cars and even their golf balls, along with several other concepts competing in this year’s Midwest Regionals of the Phoenix Contact Nanoline Contest at Purdue University.

The contest judging goes from 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 4). Teams will be assigned rooms in Beering Hall in the morning.

People are invited to view the projects in Beering Hall beginning at 12:50 p.m. and attend the afternoon awards presentation at 2:30 p.m. in Matthews Hall Room 210.

Ten teams from seven middle and high schools across Indiana will compete. A panel of five judges will look over the three-month projects done by teams of up to six students.

Also among this year’s competitors is an automated system to hydrate plants, smart go-karts and a robot that automatically moves.

Purdue professors Brad and Alka Harriger are spearheading the regional event at Purdue.

“The interesting thing about this contest is that it’s wide open,” Alka Harriger said. “The project can be anything as long as it uses the Nanoline controller in an important manner within the fully automated system. That allows the teams of students to be very creative. Projects range from entertainment to those that address big societal issues.”

The Nanoline is an intelligent and compact controller that automates multiple basic tasks. The projects call for teams to build a working automation system using the controller with related electronic components and nanoNavigator software.

Free technology tool kits are provided to the teams along with gift cards to help defray the cost of additional materials for the student projects.

The qualifiers from the Midwest region will advance to the national competition. A qualifying team from the Midwest Regionals has won nationals each of the past three years. 

Writer: Brian L. Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu 

Source: Alka Harriger, 765-494-2565, harrigea@purdue.edu