New York Tech Students Selected as Finalists in Port Authority Robotics Challenge

During the fall 2024 semester, two teams of students from the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences participated in an engineering challenge to develop new innovative technology for use by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

In the College Challenge: Vehicular Tunnel Catwalk Robotics, the Port Authority tasked students with designing and prototyping a robotic machine to move on the catwalks of the Lincoln Tunnel, a 1.5-mile-long thoroughfare connecting New Jersey and New York under the Hudson River. Historically used by the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) and Tunnel and Bridge Agents (TBAs) to quickly address issues such as car accidents in the highly trafficked tunnel, the catwalks running the length of the passageway now sit unused and ripe for invention. The purpose of the challenge is for students to design and build innovative technology that will make effective use of the historic catwalk infrastructure and help the PAPD and TBAs continue to keep the Lincoln Tunnel safe and functioning.

In teams of four to six, students from select universities created comprehensive designs of their robotic solutions. In addition to the existing requirements, designs for the machines had to meet additional criteria such as pedestrian and obstruction recognition, two-way communication, and emergency detection and categorization.

The two New York Tech teams participating in the competition were led by Michael Nizich, Ph.D., director of the Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC), and Saverio Marsicano, senior lab engineer. The project was a valuable opportunity for students to get hands-on experience as part of a crew of engineers to solve a real-life problem.

^{The A.R.E.S. team was selected as a finalist in the challenge. From left: Saverio Marsicano, Evelyn Zhinin Tacuri, Gunn Aggarwal, Ivy Manglicmot, Yuri Kent Calumpit, Ray Khan, Anthony Vazquez Rivas (not pictured)}

“I remember just before Thanksgiving, we had an important meeting with Port Authority Engineers. [The students] had to defend the robot design. What I saw and heard shocked me. The team wasn’t just students working on a project; they were engineers defending their work. I was very proud of them,” says Marsicano.

The teams submitted their designs to the Port Authority at the end of the semester and attended a networking breakfast and finalist selection event on January 16. The team led by Nizich developed the Tunnel Emergency Response and Reconnaissance Automation (TERRA); Marsicano’s team designed the Autonomous Response and Emergency Sentinel (A.R.E.S.).

After much anticipation, the Port Authority selected the New York Tech team led by Marsicano as a finalist for their robotic machine design, which conducts routine surveillance of the tunnel at 20 mph. When it detects indicators such as gas leaks, smoke, or repeated honking, it activates the emergency mode and accelerates to 40 mph. Using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), infrared sensors, and cameras, the A.R.E.S. navigates obstacles, locates individuals, facilitates two-way communication between distressed individuals and Port Authority staff. It also carries essential tools to deal with a number of medical and vehicle emergencies.

^{Team TERRA (from left): Michael Nizich, Hein Htet Zaw, Umair Tahir, Emily Prieto, Maha Bukhari, Abdul Raafay Irfan}

The students, including computer science students Gunn Aggarwal and Evelyn Zhinin Tacuri and mechanical engineering students Yuri Kent Calumpit, Ray Khan, Ivy Manglicmot, and Anthony Vazquez Rivas, were ecstatic at the news. To proceed as a finalist is no easy feat; out of all the teams, only two finalists were chosen.

“Being named a finalist felt incredible, especially after seeing the impressive projects from other teams—it truly felt like a significant achievement,” says Aggarwal.

Although they are fresh off their victory, the team still has a lot of work ahead. During the spring semester, they will create a prototype of their design to submit to the Port Authority in May. If their prototype is chosen in the final selection process, winners will have the opportunity to test their prototype on the Lincoln Tunnel catwalks in the fall and receive an award of $2,000 for their higher education institution. In addition, the finalists will also receive summer internships with the Port Authority.

As the team moves forward with their design, the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences community eagerly awaits their prototype.

“Working as a team was an eye-opening experience as it was my first time doing a major engineering project with a team,” says Calumpit. “It was exciting to use the skills I’ve learned over the years for a really important design.”

“I am really looking forward to taking our group’s idea and design to real life,” says Vazques Rivas. “I am eager to continue contributing to my team in any way I can in addition to learning and gaining more valuable skills as an engineer.”

Adds Khan, “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and can’t wait for the next stage of the competition.”

The other students who competed include Maha Bukhari, Hein Htet Zaw, Emily Prieto, Abdul Raafay Irfan, and Umair Tahir.

This article was contributed by Sophie Yoakum, program and retention coordinator in the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.