Categories — Infomatrix

Mechatronics — Infomatrix 2026

Mechatronics

Step into the future of intelligent machines! In this category, participants design and build innovative systems that seamlessly combine hardware, electronics, and programming. Your project could be a robotic device, a smart home solution, an IoT system, or a unique gadget that demonstrates both creativity and real-world usefulness.

Emphasis should be placed on the integration of hardware components, effective control mechanisms, and software logic working together in harmony. Projects should not only function reliably but also highlight the practical value and originality of the idea.

This category is open exclusively to secondary school and high school students who are passionate about engineering, robotics, and hardware innovation.

What kinds of projects can be done?

An autonomous robotic arm with computer vision for sorting objects.
A smart home controller (lighting, HVAC, security) with mobile/web dashboard.
An IoT environmental station that measures air quality, noise, temperature, and sends data to the cloud.
A wearable health monitor (heart rate, SpO₂, step count) with alert system.
A self-balancing robot (inverted pendulum) using IMU sensors and Kalman filtering.
An agricultural automation system (soil moisture sensing, smart irrigation, weather-aware scheduling).
A compact CNC plotter or 3D-printed mini-CNC with custom G-code interpreter.
A drone or rover with waypoint navigation and obstacle avoidance.
A smart energy meter that tracks appliance consumption and suggests savings.
An assistive technology device (e.g., voice-controlled switch, adaptive controller for accessibility).
An industrial process demo rig (conveyors, actuators, PLC/microcontroller control, safety interlocks).
An underwater ROV with tethered control, camera feed, and pressure/temperature sensing.
A traffic management prototype (smart signals, vehicle detection, pedestrian safety features).
A robotic warehouse picker (line navigation, QR code localization, inventory bin handling).
A home security system with edge detection (face/gesture) and event logging.
A prosthetic or robotic hand using EMG signals or flex sensors for control.
A smart wheelchair add-on (collision avoidance, route assistance, caregiver notification).
A renewable energy tracker (solar panel positioning, output monitoring, battery management).
A smart classroom kit (attendance via RFID/vision, CO₂ monitoring, adaptive lighting).

Recommended deliverables include a short video demo, circuit schematics, parts list, and source code with documentation.

// Team Size

Up to 2 students per project

// Age Range

7–18 years old

Evaluation Rubrics

9 criteria

01 Originality / Creativity +

Evaluate the hardware control project based on its originality and inventive design. Look for unique solutions, creative applications, or novel approaches that demonstrate the student's imaginative and innovative thinking.

02 Difficulty / Complexity +

Assess the level of difficulty and complexity inherent in the hardware control project. Consider the challenges faced and overcome by the student in implementing intricate hardware systems or mechanisms, highlighting the depth of their engineering skills.

03 Usability (Interface) +

Evaluate the user interface (UI) of the hardware control project for its usability and user-friendliness. Consider how well the interface facilitates interaction with the hardware system, emphasizing clarity and intuitiveness for end-users.

04 Responsible AI Usage +

AI is encouraged when it meaningfully improves sensing, control, planning, or user interaction. Evaluate: (1) Transparency—clear citation of AI tools/models/versions and representative prompts/settings; (2) Appropriateness & engineering fit—model/approach suits the task and constraints (latency, power, memory), adds value over simpler methods; (3) Data ethics & provenance—lawful data collection, consent where needed, licensed datasets/pretrained weights, bias awareness; (4) Safety & reliability—human override and E-stop, fail-safe behavior on detection/classification errors or network loss, bounded outputs for actuators; (5) Validation & performance—bench tests and field tests with metrics (e.g., accuracy, confusion matrix, MSE, latency, false-pos/neg rates), robustness across conditions; (6) Integration & maintainability—clean pipeline (training/inference), edge vs. cloud choices, offline fallback, version control, seeds/configs for reproducibility; (7) Privacy & compliance—no unconsented face/voice capture, secure handling of telemetry, adherence to school safety guidelines. Projects without AI are not penalized if they justify classical methods (e.g., PID/state-space, rule-based logic) and show strong design, tuning, and testing.

05 Functionality +

Assess the overall functionality of the hardware control project. Consider how well the system performs its intended tasks, ensuring that the implemented features are reliable, efficient, and contribute to the successful operation of the hardware.

06 Technical Skills +

Evaluate the student's technical skills demonstrated in the implementation of the hardware control project. Consider the proficiency in hardware components, electronic systems, and programming, emphasizing the depth of technical expertise applied.

07 Oral Presentation +

Assess the student's ability to communicate and articulate the hardware control project effectively. Evaluate how well the student presents the technical details, explains the project's features, and responds to questions, showcasing effective oral communication skills. The presentation language is English.

08 Documentation +

Evaluate the quality and completeness of documentation accompanying the hardware control project. Consider the clarity of explanations, technical specifications, and any supplementary materials provided. Thorough documentation enhances understanding and replicability.

09 The Stand Design +

Assess the visual and informational aspects of the stand representing the hardware control project. Consider how well the stand complements and showcases the hardware system, providing context and enhancing the viewer's overall experience. A well-designed stand should highlight the excellence and innovation of the hardware control project.