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algorithms · hackathon

amazon robotics hackathon

a python planner coordinating simulated warehouse robots under aisle, station, and capacity constraints. placed 3rd of 42 teams.

timeline
sep 2026
stack
python, space-time a*, local search
  • 3rd

    of 42 teams

the problem

at the amazon robotics hackathon at ubc, teams wrote planners for simulated warehouse robots moving inventory. robots had to share aisles, visit stations, and respect how much each could carry. we placed 3rd of 42 teams.

the approach

the planner combines space-time a* with reservation tables, so each robot plans around where the others will be at each moment rather than only where they are now. on top of that, simulation-guided local search improves robot assignments and delivery sequences.

adapting as it runs

new inventory arrived during the simulation, so the planner re-planned within a bounded compute budget instead of assuming a fixed set of jobs.