By UOW Malaysia 

Those little LEGO pieces, the ones that yield an eye-popping jolt when you step on them and make young children spend hours in engrossed concentration, are not just toys.

Using them, you can make robots, as attested recently by over 1,000 students, parents, coaches, volunteers, sponsors, and believers of the value of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.

Those multi-coloured building blocks brought them wide-eyed excitement at an event called the National Level FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) Malaysia 2023 competition, held at UOW Malaysia on July 15 and 16.

Simply put, contestants had to build robots with LEGO pieces, and they had to be functional, at least within the confines of the laws of physics and mechanics.

Those aged nine to 16 formed 41 teams to compete in the Challenge Category, while a special grouping of those aged six to 10 formed 21 teams and competed in the Explore Category.

In total, they made up 576 participants and their task were to use LEGO pieces to invent robot designs that could be the origin, distribution, storage, and use of energy that would lead to a more sustainable future.

Fifty judges, including STEM experts of UOW Malaysia, evaluated the robot designs for their structural integrity and potential for real-world applications to determine the winning teams.

Helping out were 36 student-volunteers of UOW Malaysia, which was the event’s strategic partner and venue sponsor since 2018, supplying the event with the capacious halls on the university’s campus grounds at Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

During the closing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Hiew Pang Leang and Dr. Sivajothi from UOW Malaysia received the token of appreciation from Sasbadi Holding and awarded prizes for the FLL Super Powered Explore Challenge.

The winning teams of the FIRST® LEGO® League Malaysia 2023 competition will represent Malaysia at the esteemed FIRST Championship 2024 in the USA. This international platform will not only showcase their talents but also allow them to compete against teams from around the world.

The FLL Malaysia 2023 competition at UOW Malaysia exemplified the power of innovation and the significance of robotics and STEM education.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all participants, sponsors, volunteers, judges, and supporters who made this event memorable and impactful. Through such initiatives, we aim to inspire and nurture future STEM leaders, paving the way for a brighter and better tomorrow.