On 14 November 2026 the Society of Agricultural Robotics Engineers, University of Ibadan(SARE), will hold The Grand Finale the closing showcase of its CTRL LABS programme. Students will build a remote-controlled bomb-disposal robot, live, in a single morning.
What CTRL LABS has been doing
CTRL LABS is SARE’s hands-on training track in robotics, embedded systems, automation and 3D design. Its premise is simple: students should move past theory, design something, test it, break it, fix it and build it again.
The Grand Finale is where the cycle gets its public showing. Everything the cohort has learned this session comes together in one room, in front of an audience.
The main event: a live robot build
The centrepiece is the Grand Build Project Participants will work on a remote-controlled bomb-disposal robot with a robotic arm for remote interaction and manipulation. The project covers:
– Robotic arm manipulation
– Remote teleoperation
– Embedded systems
– Sensors and actuators
– 3D mechanical design
Building a robot arm that responds reliably to a remote operator is an exercise in integration, which is where many hardware projects fail. Watching students handle that in real time is more informative than a polished product demo.
What else is on the day
Beyond the build, the programme includes:
– A keynote session with seasoned professionals and tech innovators
– Live robotics demonstrations of working automated prototypes
– Interactive games and activities, including engineering challenges, tech trivia and robotics games
– A student showcase** of embedded solutions and 3D design work from the cohort
– Networking and community engagement with builders, mentors and technology leaders.
Why this matters beyond the day
SARE describes itself as a community of problem-solvers working on agriculture, environmental engineering and robotics. Its stated aim is efficient, locally adapted machines that can change farming practices across Nigeria and Africa.
That aim is the part to take seriously. A bomb-disposal robot is a vivid demo, but the skills behind it (control systems, sensing, actuation, mechanical design) are the same ones that agricultural automation needs. Locally adapted hardware depends on people who have built, broken and rebuilt real machines, and a cohort like this one is how that capacity gets built.
At Techiesnode we keep asking where Africa’s tech infrastructure will actually come from. Part of the answer is student labs like this one, where hardware skills are taught by doing.
Event details
Event: The Grand Finale, SARE Flagship Showcase 2026
– Date: Saturday, 14 November 2026
– Time: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
– Venue: NLNG, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan
– Who should come: Students, young innovators, and anyone interested in robotics, automation and embedded systems
To be part of the event, Register here. You can also follow SARE for updates on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
