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Can You Beat a Robot at Tic Tac Toe?

Tic-Tac-Toe is a classic game, but when it’s played by the Niryo Ned2, a 6-axis robotic arm, it becomes something much more. Designed for education and research, the Ned2 transforms this simple game into a hands-on demonstration of robotics concepts like vision processing, decision-making, and real-time control.

In this project, the Ned2 is fitted with a camera mounted on its wrist, giving it the ability to see. Once the workspace is calibrated, the robot can recognize the board layout and locate game pieces using visual data. The setup includes two sets of colored pawns, which the robot picks and places using a vacuum gripper. The robot captures an image, identifies the positions of the pawns, and maps this information onto a 3×3 digital grid that represents the current state of the game.

One of the standout features of this system is that you can adjust the difficulty level of the robot. Beginners can face a more relaxed opponent that plays randomly or with limited strategy, while more advanced users can test their skills against a version that plays nearly flawlessly. This flexibility makes the Ned2 a great fit for users at all levels, from beginners to advanced programmers.

Once the robot decides on its move, it picks up a game piece using a vacuum gripper and places it carefully in the selected cell. After each human turn, the process repeats. The robot takes a new image, updates its internal board, plans the next move, and takes action. This ongoing loop brings together all parts of the robotics pipeline, combining sensing, planning, and physical action in a way that is easy to observe and understand.

What makes this application especially impactful is how it connects theory to practice. Students can immediately see how their programming choices affect the robot’s actions, giving them a clear, real-world view of how code drives behavior.

Of course, some players might be tempted to test the robot’s limits by bending the rules. But be warned: if you try to cheat, the Ned2 might notice. And if it does, you may be in for a surprise.

Beyond its educational purpose, the Tic-Tac-Toe demo is simply fun to watch. Seeing a robot compete in a familiar game captures attention and encourages users to tweak the system, explore new strategies, or even build their own versions. See all the different scenarios and outcomes here!

By blending simplicity with technical depth, the Niryo Ned2 turns a childhood game into a powerful robotics learning platform. Whether you’re teaching, experimenting, or just curious, it offers an accessible and creative way to explore how machines interact with the world.

OCAD + LUSH: Innovation in Action

In late September, our team at AYVA had the opportunity to see firsthand how CR Clarke equipment is making an impact in two very different environments.

On September 24th, I visited OCAD University with our President, Marc, and Louis, one of our Sales Representatives for CR Clarke. We traveled to Toronto to check in on a recent installation and learn more about how one of the machines was being used in a hands-on, design-driven academic setting.

As we approached the campus, the Rosalie Sharp Centre for Design immediately stood out. Its bold shapes and vibrant colors made it look more like a piece of modern art than a university building. Once inside, that sense of creativity continued. Every hallway and workspace had its own personality, shaped by the students and projects that filled them.

We were welcomed by a faculty member who had worked with Louis during the purchasing process earlier in the year. He had acquired a CR Clarke R25 Plastic Shredder, and we were excited to see how it was being integrated into the student workflow. As we toured the building, we passed through several impressive spaces, including a busy 3D printing lab, a fully equipped wood shop, and a metal shop filled with activity.

Eventually, we arrived at the Plastics Studio, where the R25 had found its place. The faculty member explained that students were collecting used plastics, shredding them using the machine, and then melting them down with an injection molder. The molten plastic was poured into custom molds, which are often made of metal, to create new, functional items like cups and tool handles. The process blends sustainability with creativity, giving students the chance to turn everyday waste into useful products.

What impressed us most was not just the clever use of the shredder, but the enthusiasm of the faculty member guiding us. His dedication to sustainability and student learning was clear, and it was inspiring to see how industrial tools can foster real-world skills in an educational setting.

The following day, on September 25th, several members of our team visited one of LUSH Cosmetics’ two manufacturing facilities located in Toronto. This visit offered a very different perspective. We were there to check in on several CR Clarke: 1820 Vacuum Formers that had recently been installed and are now being used to help produce plastic molds that support LUSH’s sustainable processes across North America.

These machines work by heating recycled plastic sheets until they become flexible, then shaping them using the vacuum-forming process to create custom molds. These molds are used during production but typically only a few times before being recycled, along with any leftover scrap material. The recycled material is then processed into new plastic sheets, enabling quick design adjustments and helping to keep waste low.

The machines currently operate for approximately 16 hours a day across two full shifts. Built for high-volume, industrial use, they are well suited to the demands of LUSH’s fast-paced production environment.

LUSH’s packaging sustainability efforts go beyond just mold production. At their Green Hub facility, used black pots and molds are collected, shredded, and reprocessed. The recycled plastic is then blended and remolded into new containers, helping LUSH significantly reduce waste and extend the life of its packaging materials

Although these visits took place in very different settings, with one focused on education and the other on manufacturing, they both highlighted the same core values of innovation, creativity, and a commitment to sustainability. At OCAD University, students are turning waste into opportunity, using hands-on experimentation to learn and create. At LUSH, a global brand is using smart design and advanced equipment to reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining high standards of quality.

We are proud to see our CR Clarke equipment being used to make a real difference in both education and industry. Experiences like these remind us that the right tools, in the right hands, can support meaningful change and help build a more sustainable future.

PASCO – End-of-Year Equipment Care

Visiting Brock and McMaster with Helen!

On Friday, I had a lovely time visiting school’s with Helen, one of our dedicated Carolina Sales Representatives. First we drove out to Brock University and navigated through a maze-like building with the help of a student there. We first went to the science stores where two ladies keep an impressive stock of science and lab supplies. The ladies there were excited to meet Helen in person, none of their other suppliers had ever visited them before! We discussed future orders and budget renewals and left them with a Carolina Catalogue and some business cards. We then visited some professors in the building. One expressed interest in Carolina’s DNA model as a visualisation tool in his lectures. After a few successful visits of talking to folks about Carolina and their lab needs, we hit the road again and headed for McMaster University stopping at the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada building on the way to drop off a catalogue.

At McMaster we visited the life sciences building to see a few professors and give them catalogues. There was one professor who Helen had been trying to see for months and her visits to McMaster had never overlapped with when he was around. Finally, the timing lined up and we were able to see him. We talked about what specimens he’ll need next year in the labs that he is planning to run and he was excited to receive a catalogue. We found a few more people in the building also. 

After a long day of visiting customers, we grabbed some delicious donuts. I learned that a lot of customers appreciate the personal delivery of a catalogue and many were happy to have a hard copy of the catalogue to look through and share with others. Helen was a great person to shadow, and I learned a lot from her!

Greenhouse Update

Unfortunately, after three weeks of waiting, our last batch of seeds only sprouted one plant. While this tomato shoot is still alive and well, it is not a sufficient number of plants to do a basic science experiment with. So we replanted our seeds, watered them diligently, and waited a mere week for 4 plants to germinate. 2 tomato seedlings in each pot. 

Once the seedling had a week to get settled, we began our salt water treatment. The plants in the red pot received salt water, while the plants in the purple pot received tap water. Just 2 weeks after germination and 1 week after beginning the salt water treatment, our dear red potted sprouts are exhibiting symptoms of death. The tell-tale signs include drooping, shriveling, blackening of the leaves. Overall they seemed to lack water and the will to live. 

So how can this be? From what we have observed, it looks as though the salt water treatment overall has more moist soil, but the plants appear to be lacking water. Due to a disruption in osmosis, we hypothesize that the roots of our tomato plants in the salt water treatment are not able to absorb enough water to conduct the biological processes they require to live.

Today, a short week since the beginning of our salt water reign of terror, we arrived at the office to a startling sight. Both seedlings in the red pot, dead. With misty eyes we removed them from their home and planted their replacements. Having learned that salt water does not serve one week old seedlings well, we will try waiting an extra week to see if there is an improvement in our tomato seedlings performance. 

 

PASCO Greenhouse Tomatoe Experiment

Just last week we (Sam and Emma-Grace, interns here at AYVA) planted tomato seeds! Both of us study Environmental Science, so we chose to write our co-op report on the growth of these tomato plants. AYVA is a proud partner with PASCO and is well set up with the right equipment to make conducting this growth experiment a breeze. 

Two PASCO Sense and Control Greenhouse kits are being used to examine the effects of saline water on tomato plant health. With rising concerns about freshwater availability, we felt this study was especially applicable. Given the world’s growing population, there’s an increasing emphasis on researching creative ways to grow food to feed everyone.

One greenhouse is being watered with saline water and the other greenhouse with filtered tap water. Over the next two months, we will track the health of our tomato plants by testing various measurements including: 

  • CO2 using PASCO’s Wireless CO2 Sensor
  • The conductivity of soil using PASCO’s Wireless Conductivity Sensor
  • Soil pH using PASCO’s Wireless pH Sensor
  • Leaf size
  • Number of leaves
  • Plant height
  • Colour of leaves using PASCO’s

To create consistent conditions, we have determined an optimal light schedule with an ideal light ratio of 7:3 (Red:Blue) which we coded using SPARKvue.This consistency will reduce experimental bias. We’ve also reduced bias through blind watering. This means we do not know which spray bottle has the salt water treatment and which has the fresh water treatment. When our experiment is completed, Rhonda will reveal which group of tomato plants was under which treatment. 

We’re excited to explore how CO2 levels are influenced by the addition of saline water. Elevated CO2 enhances photosynthesis, boosting sugar and nutrient production while also improving water use efficiency. By examining the combined effects of CO2 and salt, we aim to gain a more in-depth understanding of the effects of saline water on tomato plants. 

We are brainstorming names for our future sprouts. If you have any name suggestions, let us know!

PASCO Launches New Wireless Sensors at BETT 2016 in the UK

AYVA had the pleasure of joining PASCO to take part in their exhibit at BETT 2016. The trip to London England featured PASCO’s new Wireless Sensor line including Temperature, pH, Pressure, Force and Smart Cart Sensors.

Check them out in action: PASCO Wireless

The biggest hit was by far the Wireless Smart Cart. Chris Butlin from Physics Education wrote; “We liked your new range of wifi sensors, particularly the Smart Cart which we feel will be a best seller for you.”

Wireless Smart Cart Features BETT 2016

Hanoi University of Technology

After initially supplying the Power Systems Trainer to Hanoi University of Technology, TecQuipment was delighted to be able to work with them again to upgrade the Trainer with new features and components.

TecQuipment had an important visit from Dr Viet and Professor Ut of the Electrical Department of the Hanoi University of Technology in Vietnam. They were with us at Head Office to approve an upgrade to their Power Systems Trainer (PSS1), originally built by TecQuipment and dispatched to them in 2003. The upgrade was necessary due to limitations that could not be resolved on site in Hanoi.

The politics of the situation meant that TecQuipment had to make things right for these customers – down to every last detail. Adrian Wint, TecQuipment’s electrical engineering specialist, was commissioned as the man for the job.

Hanoi University and the TecQuipment Team
Dr. Viet, Prof. Ut and TecQuipment team

The Power System was brought back to TecQuipment for the upgrade and Adrian Wint and the electrical team worked all hours to complete the upgrade before the Vietnamese academics arrived. Adrian Wint even worked at Head Office over the Christmas break to make sure that things were just right.

Dr Viet and Professor Ut were shown the improvements to their PSS1 and taken through its whole range of recommended experiments. The customers agreed and were taken for a tour around Nottingham University, Nottingham City Centre and Loughborough University.

The following day, the visitors were very happy that TecQuipment had met all their needs and were now anxiously looking forward to using their fully modernized PSS1 to train their students back at the university.  Find out more about Hanoi University of Technology and their teaching and research facilities.

Cardiff University

Cardiff University truly has a showcase Electrical Power Systems laboratory.  TecQuipment have been supplied the department with specialist training equipment covering topics such as generation, transmission and grid protection.

TecQuipment supplied an Electrical Power System Trainer and a range of Power System Laboratory equipment.

TecQuipment was very pleased to be associated with a world leading laboratory for undergraduate teaching and post-graduate research following the installation, commissioning and training of our Power Systems Trainer at Cardiff University – Cardiff School of Engineering.

The equipment includes the PSS1 Power Systems Trainer and the PSS3 Second Generator.

These will be used by some of the leading research groups in the UK including:

  • The Institute of Advanced Materials and Energy Systems
  • The High Voltage Research Centre of Excellence
  • Electrical Energy Tech Research Group
  • Centre for Integrated Renewable Energy Generation and Supply

Since the purchase and installation of the Power System Trainer, we have continued to help Cardiff University develop their laboratory with further specialist equipment.  The department now has three units from the Power System Laboratory range, for training in:

Power-Systems-Training
Training on the Power Systems at Cardiff University

Cardiff University are at the forefront of developing new and more efficient ways of utilising the electrical power generated by the National Grid and we take great pride in playing a part in the future development of our Electrical Power Generation Industry.  Find out more about their resources and courses on the School of Engineering website.

 

University of Trinidad and Tobago

“After using TecQuipment’s Power System Trainer for some time, we are exceptionally pleased with its quality, operation and functionality. It really does embody all elements of a full electrical power system with a high concentration on educational value throughout the product design. This is a very effective teaching aid for power engineers.”

JOHN JOSEPH
University of Trinidad and Tobago

Delivering state-of-the-art power systems training to future engineers in the Caribbean.

TecQuipment supplied the Electrical Power Systems Trainer (PSS1) and SCADA.

The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) aims to produce highly trained and qualified technological personnel to meet the needs of the country. In 2004, TecQuipment delivered, installed and commissioned one of our largest, most sophisticated and successful products into the university. The equipment, a Power Systems Trainer, was the first of its kind in the region. Funded through the Caribbean Development Bank, it allows the university to achieve full accreditation for its Engineering degree programme.

A key aim of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) is to meet the country’s increasing demand for a highly trained and qualified technological manpower base. As technology has changed over the years to suit the evolving global environment, so too have the human resource needs of Trinidad and Tobago.

Before delivering the product, some key staff from UTT visited TecQuipment at their head office in the UK. Here, they received full training on the effective implementation and use of the product.

Training Certificate Award
Simon Woods presenting training certificate to Moti Ramsingh

The Power Systems Trainer was developed in close consultation with academia, including a leading, world-renowned expert in power systems who delivered some of the training. For their future reference, the equipment was supplied with fully comprehensive teaching, technical and support material written specifically to ensure users at all levels get the very best from the equipment.

When the product reached UTT, TecQuipment fully installed and commissioned the product, ensuring it was running to UTT’s complete satisfaction before leaving it in their hands. UTT had set aside a room which was to be used solely for power systems training using the Power Systems Trainer.

Lecturers and qualified technicians were familiarised with the equipment to ensure they could use and maintain it in the years to come. In addition, TecQuipment included a parts and labour agreement with the product, so that in the unlikely event of any problem occurring, a call to TecQuipment’s dedicated Customer Care Manager would be the first step in getting a quick, effective and convenient resolution.

The Power Systems Trainer has been in successful operation at UTT since October 2004, and has helped many students achieve their academic and training goals.

Recently, John Joseph, Lecturer in Electrical Engineering at UTT, said:

“After using TecQuipment’s Power Systems Trainer for some time, we are exceptionally pleased with its quality, operation and functionality. It really does embody all elements of a full electrical power system with a high concentration on educational value throughout the product design. This is a very effective teaching aid for power engineers.”

TecQuipment is sure this product will be of great educational value to the university for many years to come. Meanwhile, TecQuipment continues to develop its leading range of Electrical Power Systems teaching products, as well as technical teaching products in many other areas.

University of Trinidad and Tobago have fantastic facilities and have continued to expand and develop since this project back in 2004.  If you would like to find out more about their Utilities Programmes in the Engineering Department, find out more on UTT’s website.

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