UMD Engineering Students Build Electric Pack Mule, Enter Competition

DULUTH, Minn. – Engineering students at University of Minnesota-Duluth are taking their studies into the future of robotics with their latest project.

It’s a robotic pack mule, an electric robot that can carry up to 350 pounds, and travel up to 15 miles per hour.

The students tested their prototype at a grassy area on campus earlier on Friday.

Two teams of students – from both the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Departments at UMD – contributed to the project.

“Fortunately we do have excellent team dynamics,” said UMD Engineering student Alex Zierden, speaking about her involvement with this project.  “Everybody has been super supportive and super available to pitch in any way that we can.”

The students involved say designing and putting this vehicle together was almost a full time job as the project developed.

“It has been a full time job for most us, putting this together, but it’s been well worth it to see these results,” Zierden said.

These students will be leaving Sunday for the United States Air Force Research Laboratory Challenge competition in Tennessee, which is an invitation-only competition.