Over the course of five days, teams of 4–5 students were given a budget of €100+ to design and build functional prototypes. The central challenge: create a robot capable of planting simulated seagrass seeds (represented by colored couscous) into a simulated seabed made of bentonite clay.

Let the challenge begin

The hackathon officially kicked off with the Challenge Reveal at RoboHouse. Students met up with their teams, learned the scope of the challenge, and began brainstorming innovative approaches.

Just 4 days later, the teams returned to RoboHouse for the full-day Hackathon Finale, working intensively to complete and present their prototypes. The energy was high, the clay was flying, and the ideas were bold. From air-powered seed cannons to trenching robots pushing through the mud, each team showed great ingenuity and perseverance.

And the winners were…

Team B.U. took home the top prize with their inventive robot, featuring:

  • A dual extruder for high volume seed distribution
  • Variable-height actuation for adaptable planting
  • An autonomous, clog-resistant nozzle for smooth operation
Team B.U. with their winning design

All members of the winning team received robotics-related prizes (including tools such as drills, soldering irons and an oscilloscope), in recognition of their exceptional achievement within a tight timeframe.

We’d like to thank Boskalis for their enthusiastic collaboration, and all the students who brought their energy, curiosity, and creativity to this challenge. It was a joy to see so much talent in action, and to watch this muddy mission unfold. Stay tuned for more student-driven innovation events at RoboHouse!