Winners' Gallery

Winners 2018 - 24th Annual Races!
 What a day! Endless sun, brisk winds, and a great group of teams. This is the first year with the new, renovated concrete: a smoother race course for sure, but also quite bright in color. A new variable! Thanks to the audience for the recurring Hip Hip Hoorays.

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Ben Soudry (CS, Sophomore)
Yizhou Xu (CS, Sophomore)
Kai Wen Wang (CS, Sophomore)
Team: Uber for Raspberry Pi
Gate 13 in 3:01.00

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Jarrett Liang (CS, Sophomore)
Eric Nie (CS, Sophomore)
Team: Paperbox
Gate 8 in 3:05.00

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Ruixuan Liu (ECE, Junior)
Alvin Shi (ECE, Junior)
Hengrui Henry Zhang (MechE, Junior)
Team: Henry
Gate 3 in 2:39.00

Open Class: First Place
Michael Yellin (IM/Tepper, Alum)
Andrew Yellin (7th grade!)
Team: Curiosity
Gate 3 in 3:91.00

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Not Awarded

Course Record
Not Qwarded – Record stands

Note: Blackhawk: practice looked great!


Winners 2017 - 23rd Annual Races!
 Incredible weather! Started shaky and ominous, but gave way to bright sun and light breezes. Bravo audience for chasing the Mobots up and down the grass adjacent to the race course.

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Zhichu Lu (ECE, Sophomore)
Di Wang (CS, Sophomore)
Yilun Yu (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: Just Rolling
Gate 6 in 3:59.20

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Kamal Carter (MechE, Sophomore)
Team: TPAB
Gate 1 in 0:25.33

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Not Awarded

Open Class: First Place
Not Awarded

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Not Awarded

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands

Note: See you next year Team Mercedes Bends!


Winners 2016 - 22nd Annual Races!
 Incredible weather! All sun (even a bit too bright!), no clouds, little wind and warm.
Bravo audience for embracing the races while the final paving and planting on the pathways to Scott Hall are completed.

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Harvey Shi (ECE, Freshman)
Elias Lu (MechE, Freshman)
Matthew Zhao (CS, Freshman)
Team: The Flash-Sudo
Gate 11 in 4:00.0
–Amazing construct!

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Not Awarded

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Not Awarded

Open Class: First Place
Not Awarded

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Anand Kapadia (ECE, Sophomore)
Ethan Tseng (ECE, Sophomore)
Richard Willison (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: ACE
Gate 1 in 0:16.86
–Great design and introduction of new technology, algorithms and an innovative approach to the problem. Sun as just too strong!

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands


Winners 2015 - 21st Annual Races!
 Ominous skies but no actual rain! Warm, cloudy and windless.
Bravo contestants (and audience!) for enduring freshly mowed grasses and conquering the post-winter sidewalk.

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Edward Ahn (ECE, Freshman)
Spencer Barton (ECE, Senior)
Hanqui Sun (Math, Freshman)
Team: QBot
Gate 10 in 4:34.1

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Anand Kapadia (ECE, Freshman)
Ethan Tseng (ECE, Freshman)
R. Connor Willison (ECE, Freshman)
Team: The Plywood Pelican
Gate 2 in 45.80

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Not Awarded

Open Class: First Place
Daniel Jacobs (Alum)
Team: Revo
Gate 8 in 01:12.82

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Not awarded – But...some great designs

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands

Special Mention
–Sheer, ground pounding enthusiasm!
Stefan Holm (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: Jankbot
–A great Mobot, but laptop-entrapped code!
Zongyi Yang (MS, Robotics)
Team: Last Minute


Winners 2014 - 20th Annual Races!
 Intermittent downpours, cool temperatures, and winds.
Bravo contestants (and audience!) for facing another Pittsburgh Spring with determination and rolls of Saran Wrap, duct tape and baggies!

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Cosku Akay (ECE, Sophomore)
Kenneth Li (ECE, Sophomore)
Nishant Pol (ECE, Sophomore)
Sam Zeng (MechE, Sophomore)
Team: MoBoss++
Gate 9 in 1:46.35

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Not Awarded

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Not Awarded

Open Class: First Place
Daniel Jacobs (Alum)
Team: Revo
Gate 4 in 0:33.87

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Megan McKelvey (Alum, C-mite)
Terence McKelvey
Team: Megubot 7
Gate 14 in 1:40.65

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands

Special Mention
Mastery takes effort, commitment to the problem, and a willingness to learn.
Great job!

Hui Jun Tay (ECE, Sophomore)
Vijay Sampath (MechE, Sophomore)
Team: TBD
Gate 1 in 1:31.47


Winners 2013 - 19th Annual Races!
 Intermittent torrential downpours, steadily dropping temperatures
and very strong winds. Bravo contestants for facing the weather head-on!

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Cosku Akay (ECE, Freshman)
Edwin Cho (ECE, Freshman)
Kenneth Li (ECE, Freshman)
Nishant Pol (ECE, Freshman)
Oguz Ulgen (ECE, Freshman)
Sam Zeng (MechE, Freshman)
Team: MoBoss
Gate 12 in 1:48.37

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Daniel Jacobs(ECE, Senior)
Team: Revo
Gate 9 in 1:12.10

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Not Awarded

Open Class: First Place
Kwabena W. Agyeman (ECE, Masters)
Team: StringRay
Gate 5 in 1:08.48

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Not awarded

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands


Winners 2012 - 18th Annual Races!
 Yet another perfect year of blue skies and unbelievable sunshine.
Not a cloud to be seen. Very light gusts at start of race.

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Nolan Hergert (ECE, Senior)
William Keyes (ECE, Senior )
Chao Wang (ECE, Senior)
Team: Gaussian Blur
Gate 14 in 2:13.84

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Kwabena W. Agyeman (ECE, Senior)
Team: StingRay
Gate 10 in 2:16.98
Of special note: StringRay reached Gate 10, turned around, and headed
up the ramp, going back toward "start". Made it halfway up the steep ramp!

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Not Awarded

Open Class: First Place
Breogan Amodeo (RI, Visitor)
Jesus Bonache Martinez (RI, Visitor)
Manuel Lopez Antequera (RI, Visitor)
Julio Ortiz-Villajos Maroto (RI, Visitor)
Team: Pimientos Verdes
Gate 5 in 1:05.33

The Ben Brown (Judges) Choice Prize
Elijah Richter (Exhibition Class)
Team: Johnny 0.51
Gate 5 in 00:29.24
For demonstrating the power of nothing but right angles on a curvey course!
or...demonstrating "Gate finding" without "line following".

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands

Sheer Enthusiasm Acknowledgment
Job Bedford (MechE, Freshman)
Team: TH2
Gate 1


Winners 2011 - 17th Annual Races!
 Another perfect year of incredible sunshine. No clouds.
But wind gusts were in the 10-30 mph range.

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Kwabena W. Agyeman (ECE, Junior)
Team: StingRay
Gate 8 in 1:37.29

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Kyle Neblett (ECE, Senior)
Aaron Jaech (Math/CS, Senior)
Diana (Si Ying) Hu (ECE, Senior)
Team: Commendaria
Gate 5 in 1:59.34

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
James Wahawisan (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: Three Dollars to Win
Gate 8 in 1:41.95

Judges Choice
Not Awarded

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands


Winners 2010 - 16th Annual Races!
 Amazing Weather
Light Clouds, Bright Sun, Warm, but 30-50 mile wind gusts
Mobots held their ground!

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Nathaniel Barshay (CS, Freshman)
Team: AEPI
Gate 14 in 1:17.10

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Jake Poznanski (CS, Junior)
Itai Stein (MatSci, Junior)
Team: Zoidberg
Gate 8 in 1:19.76

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Kwabena Walden Agyeman (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: Stingray
Gate 8 in 1:41.95

Judges Choice
Megan McKelvey (C-Mite Student)
Terry McKelvey (C-Mite Parent)
Team: Megubot (Exhibition Class)
Gate 9 in 2:27.44

Course Record
Not awarded – Record stands


Winners 2009 - 15th Annual Races!
 Amazingly Perfect Weather
No Clouds, Bright Sun, No Wind

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Mark Hahnenberg (CS, Sophomore)
Jake Poznanski (CS, Sophomore)
Team: Zoidberg
Gate 5 in 1:01.77

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Daniel Benjamin (ECE, Sophomore)
Wil Hamilton (MechE, Sophomore)
Clairissa Hann (MechE, Freshman)
Richard Hong (CS, Junior)
Team: REWIND
Gate 5 in 1:59.94 – In test mode!

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Rentaro Matsukata (ECE, Freshman)
David Soamchand (BusAdmin, Freshman)
Team: 108
Gate 2 in 2:39.41

Open Class: First Place
Michael Licitra (RI, Staff)
Jeff McMahill (RI, Staff)
Team: Mike and Jeff
Gate 14 in 00:33.99

Course Record
Michael Licitra (RI, Staff)
Jeff McMahill (RI, Staff)
Team: Mike and Jeff
Gate 14 in 00:33.99 – Human Perspective – Mobot's Perspective


Winners 2008 - 14th Annual Races!
Amazingly Perfect Weather

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Lawrence Tan Kee Tee (CS, Junior)
Zhiquan Yeo (CS, Junior)
Meng Yee Chuah (MechE, Sophomore)
Team: GTG
Gate 8 in 3:07.35

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Wai Yong Low (ECE, Senior)
Yucheng Low (CS, Senior)
Team: LOW UNITED
Gate 4 in 00:49.26

Open Class: First Place
Michael Licitra (RI, Staff)
Jeff McMahill (RI, Staff)
Team: Mike and Jeff
Gate 14 in 00:50.71
Mike and Jeff Video on YouTube

Course Record
Michael Licitra (RI, Staff)
Jeff McMahill (RI, Staff)
Team: Mike and Jeff
Gate 14 in 00:50.71

Judges' Choice
The Judges' Choice Prize exists to reward ingenuity and creativity and to promote interesting submissions to the competition which may or may not be competitive in the actual race. This year, a distinctive and remarkably designed entry earned special mention.

John Palmisano (Alumni)
Team: Pikachu
Pikachu Video on YouTube

And a second "special" Judges' Choice, to reward good effort and to encourage further participation and ingenuity of young "engineers".
Terry McKelvey (C-Mite Father)
Megan McKelvey (C-Mite)
Team: Megubot


Winners 2007 - 13th Annual Races! [Perfect Weather]

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Daniel Dewey (CS, Sophomore)
Joey Gannon (CS, Sophomore)
Team: Plan B
Gate 12 in 3:46.94

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Somchaya Liemhetcharat (CS, Senior)
Jonathan Wang (CS, Junior)
Team: WHISK
Gate 10 in 2:18.42

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Justine Rembisz (MechE, Junior)
Cornell Wright (ECE, Senior)
Team: F.I.W.G.
Gate 7 in 3:41.34

Open Class: First Place
James Bruce (CS, PhD)
Luisa Lu (Staff/Alum)
Team: Dodgy II
Gate 8 in 1:00.68

Course Record
Remained Intact

Judges' Choice
Not Awarded


Winners 2006 - 12th Annual Races! [CS50 Anniversary]

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Daniel Dewey (CS, Freshman)
Joey Gannon (CS, Freshman)
Team: Pajamas
Gate 12 in 3:55.91

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
No Placer

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
No Placer

Open Class: First Place
John Palmisano (MechE, Alum)
Team: Pikachu
Gate 8 in 2:51.29

Course Record
Remained Intact

Judges' Choice
The Judges' Choice Prize exists to reward ingenuity and creativity and to promote interesting submissions to the competition which may or may not be competitive in the actual race. This year, a smallest entry earned special mention.

Scott Douglass (Psych, PhD)
Rebecca Douglass (Daughter)
Victoria Douglass (Daughter)
Team: The Young Ones


Winners 2005 - 11th Annual Races!

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Michael Dille (CS, Junior)
Brian Thompson (CS, Junior)
Jack Wu (CS, Junior)
Team: CornFlake
Gate 11 in 1:16.97

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
David Urban (MechE, Freshman)
Team: Fubar Junior
Gate 5 in 3:35.30

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
No Placer

Open Class: First Place
James Bruce (CS, PhD)
Team: Dodgy II
Gate 5 in 00:24.84

Course Record
Remained Intact

Judges' Choice
The Judges' Choice Prize exists to reward ingenuity and creativity and to promote interesting submissions to the competition which may or may not be competitive in the actual race. This year, some great engineering and refreshing cleverness earned special mention.

John Palmisano (MechE)
Team: Pikachu



Winners 2004 - 10th Anniversary Races!

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Sebastian Scherer (CS, Senior)
Team: Mad Kuh
Gate 13 in 3:51.28

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
John Bellinger (MechE, Senior)
Team: Rattle & Hum
Gate 11 in 3:46.72

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
John Palmisano (MechE, Senior)
Team: Pikachu
Gate 6 in 3:04.98

Open Class: First Place
Joshua Pieper (ECE, MS)
Team: Rio
Gate 14 in 1:01.43 (all decision points)

Course Record
Joshua Pieper (ECE, MS)
Team: Rio
Gate 14 in 1:01.43

Judges' Choice
The Judges' Choice Prize exists to reward ingenuity and creativity and to promote interesting submissions to the competition which may or may not be competitive in the actual race. This year a once disgarded and forgotten robot came back to life to give us all a golden moment.

Zia Sobhani (Friend of Carnegie Mellon)
Team: Hero



Winners 2003

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Sebastian Scherer (CS, Junior)
Team: Kuhman
Gate 11 in 3:22.82

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Derek Leong (ECE, Freshman)
Chan Lianghong James (ECE, Freshman )
Edward Rankin (ECE, Freshman)
Team: Runaway
Gate 3 in 3:21.77

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
No Placer

Open Class: First Place
Alok Ladsariya (CS, MS)
Anthony Rowe (ECE, Senior)
Team: Jimmy

Judges' Choice
The Judges' Choice Prize exists to reward ingenuity and creativity and to promote interesting submissions to the competition which may or may not be competitive in the actual race. This year two teams which entered legged vehicles deserved special recognition for their achievements.

Warren Saunders (Psychology)
Team: John Henry Project: Featuring Pavlov the Rat

Richard Juchniewicz (MechE, Freshman)
Prasanna Velagapudi (ECE, Freshman)
Team: Hexx

Photos of the Day - Courtesy of The Carnegie Mellon Robotics Club



Winners 2002

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Alok Ladsariya (CS, Senior)
Anthony Rowe (ECE, Junior)
Team: Barney
Gate 14 in 1:36.67

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Peter Zhang (ECE, Sophomore)
Jack Lin (CS, Senior)
Team: Scrubs
Gate 9 in 2:04.53

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Brian Kirby (ECE, Junior)
Tom Lauwers (ECE, Junior)
Mengyao Zhe (ECE, Freshman)
Team: Monkeys
Gate 9 in 3:22.63

Open Class: First Place
No Placer

MoboJoust Winner
Joseph Wirzburger (MechE, Senior)
Team: Murphy

Judges' Choice
Not Awarded



Winners 2001

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Alok Ladsariya (CS, Junior)
Anthony Rowe (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: dui
Gate 11 in 3:15.54

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Ian Nieves (CS, Senior)
Ashish Venugopal (CS, Senior)
Team: Harlie Starr
Gate 3 in 01:17.08

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
No Placer

Open Class: First Place
Sebastian Scherer (CS, Visiting Scholar)
Team: Mad Cow
Gate 9 in 3:14.33

MoboJoust Winner
Jonathan Hurst (MechE, Senior)
Brian Kirby (ECE, Sophomore)
Team: Underkill

Judges' Choice
Yuen-Lin Tan (CS, Freshman)
Jiin Joo Ong (CS, Freshman)
Mark Yong (ECE, Freshman)
Kah Kien Ong (ECE, Junior)
Team: Proton Saga
Gate 1 in 04:11.11

Winners 2000

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Brian Dougherty (ECE, Junior)
Team: The Avocado
Gate 10 in 1:42.62

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Morgan Eli Simmons (ME, Senior)
Merle E. Romesberg (CS, Senior)
Team: mmm'BOT
Gate 8 in 3:26.05

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Ian Nieves (CS, Junior)
Ashish Venugopal (CS, Junior)
Team: Harlie-2
Gate 3 in 02:13.62

Open Class: First Place
Michael Rizk (MechE, Senior)
John Moody (CS, Senior)
Jeff Thomas (ECE, Senior)
Team: Timmy
Gate 14 in 1:14.90

MoboJoust Winner
Brian Kirby (ECE, Freshmen)
Jonathan Hurst (MechE, Junior)
Team: Overkill

Judges' Choice
Vitaly Goltsberg (ECE, Staff)
Team: V-Dog
Gate 8 in 01:12.44

Winners 1999

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Daniel Maynes-Aminzade (CS, Sophmore)
Team: Marvin
Gate 9 in 3:05.98

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Morgan Eli Simmons (ME, Junior)
Merle E. Romesberg (CS, Junior)
Team: mmm'BOT
Gate 8 in 3:44.31

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Joshua Anhalt (ECE, Junior)
James Bruce (CS, Junior)
Team: Predator
Gate 4 in 1:40.33

Open Class: First Place
Philipp Herget (ECE, Masters)
Jason Messier (ECE, Masters)
Team: Moby Wan Kenobi
Gate 14 in 02:15.35 (all decision points)

Judges Choice
Philipp Herget (ECE, Masters)
Jason Messier (ECE, Masters)
Team: Moby Wan Kenobi
Gate 14 in 02:15.35 (all decision points)

Winners 1998

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Scott J. Weber (ECE and CS, Senior)
Fred C. Doerr (ECE, Senior)
Team: Go Time
Gate 9 in 3:04.55 (One decision point)

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
(ME, Sophomore)
Morgan Eli Simmons (ME, Sophomore)
Merle E. Romesberg (CS, Sophomore)
Team: mmm'BOT
Gate 7 in 3:55.18

Open Class: First Place
Robert J. Grabowski (ECE, Masters)
Luis E. Navarro-Serment (ECE, Doctoral)
Mahesh Saptharishi (ECE, Junior)
Team: MECLESS
Gate 5 in 03:43.38

Judges Category
Daniel J. Bothell (CS Alum/96)

Winners 1997

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Arne Suppe (CS, Freshman)
Team: Noname1
Gate 8 in 3:55.5

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Il-Hwan Kwon (ECE, Senior)
Team: James Kwon
Gate 4 in 3:01.9

Open Category: First Prize
Daniel Bothell (CS Alum/96)
Team: DJB III
Gate 8 in 1:37.5

Winners 1996

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Huey Ru Lin (ECE)
Team: Team B2
Gate 10 in 02:09.85

Undergraduate Category: Second Prize
Daniel J. Bothell (CS, Senior)
Team: DJBII
Gate 8 in 01:07.60

Undergraduate Category: Third Prize
Samuel G. Miller (CS)
Team: B1
Gate 8 in 01:40.71

Winners 1995

Undergraduate Category: First Prize
Daniel J. Bothell (CS)
Team: Team DJB
Gate 8 in 01:35