Roboterclub Aachen: Student Initiative at RWTH Aachen Develops Autonomous Robots with Support from proRWTH e.V.
The Roboterclub Aachen is a student-run initiative at RWTH Aachen University that develops autonomous robots each year. The 2024/2025 project was supported by the university’s funding association proRWTH e.V.
The team consisted of 17 students from the fields of Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. This interdisciplinary setup enabled the team to design and build all components – mechanics, electronics, and software – entirely in-house and tailored to their needs.
A Challenging Project Year
For the 2024/2025 season, the team aimed to build a completely new robot with a fast and efficient stacking mechanism. The technical complexity, especially in integrating mechanical and electronic systems, meant that the new robot – named Herbot – was only completed shortly before the German competition.
A key focus was on the robot’s precise localization, an essential feature for autonomous navigation. The team developed a custom ultrasound beacon system, which improved global positioning for both their own robot and the opponent’s. This was further enhanced by integrating odometry, significantly increasing positional accuracy.
Competition and Further Development
Due to time constraints, the team competed with an adapted version of their previous season’s robot, Watney. Although the original goal wasn’t fully achieved, the season brought great value: members gained hands-on experience in mechanical design, improved software architecture, and developed several new electronic modules – including an ultrawideband communication board and a new power distribution board.
With these experiences, the Roboterclub Aachen is looking ahead with confidence to the 2025/2026 season. We wish them every success!
Photo: Roboterclub Aachen e.V.