Sinox Miracle: Sustainable Robotics Competition

As one of the "Four Asian Tigers," Taiwan has transformed from an agricultural and light industrial economy in the 1970s into a developed economic powerhouse, thanks to its exceptional performance in component manufacturing. In 2021, Taiwan's top exports were electronic components, followed by information communication and audiovisual products, and then machinery products.

However, the more components are exported, the more scrap components are generated. Do you know where these scrap components end up? The answer is that they are sent to landfills or incinerators. Incinerating them produces waste gas, wastewater, bottom ash, and fly ash, causing severe environmental pollution...

As a lock manufacturer, SINOX is well aware of the environmental harm caused by improperly disposed scrap components. Therefore, in 2019, we launched the "ESG-Sustainable Robotics" competition. Centered around "scrap components," the competition encourages employees to unleash their creativity and create unique robots using these discarded parts.

Six teams participated in the "Sustainable Robotics" competition, namely "ID4," "Little Sweet Potato," "Iron Blood Works," "The Sadness of Baby Egg," "Starry Sky," and "Minion." Each team brought its unique creativity and concepts to the table. To gain a deeper understanding of their creative processes, SINOX's junior reporters interviewed the members of each team. The results were astonishing! Let's take a look at their brilliant performances!

"ID4"
First, let's take a look at the champion team, "ID4," composed of four members from the ID department. Their robot is named Anubis, the Egyptian guardian deity. Team leader JIY revealed that his inspiration came from a hand on a magazine cover. Since 2014, JIY had the idea of using scrap parts to create robots! He emphasized that "creation" requires three essential elements: passion, observation, and thought—none of which can be lacking. From the initial inspiration to the finished product, it took JIY nearly three years to complete the project.Regarding the product highlights, JIY mentioned that they used over a thousand parts to assemble Anubis. To find suitable materials, they visited the factory's scrap area almost every day, carefully selecting and assembling the pieces. They worked on their creation almost every evening after work, making their first-place win truly well-deserved.

 "Little Sweet Potato"
Next is the runner-up team, "Little Sweet Potato," composed of three members from the R&D department. Team member Allen mentioned that their team stands out because it comprises three generations: old, middle-aged, and young, which sparked many interesting ideas during the brainstorming process.The highlight of Robot is its "heart," which hides a clever feature. When you press a button, it plays a cute song, with each button producing a different tune. Additionally, Robot's joints are fully movable, so striking a cute triple-shot pose is no problem at all!

"Iron Blood Engineers"
Next, we have the third-place team, "Iron Blood Engineers," composed of five biotech engineers. Team leader Shikui explained, "The team name symbolizes that members need not only iron-like determination but also empathy," hoping to be the most resilient and compassionate team. Their robot is named Soldier Ant. Shikui mentioned that biotech engineers are like soldier ants, silently contributing from behind the scenes, providing maximum support to the frontline, and overcoming numerous challenges. The design highlight of Soldier Ant lies in its unique cockpit structure and the inclusion of a smaller robot, symbolizing that soldier ants are the greatest support for the front lines, shielding and protecting them. This design not only showcases the team's meticulous attention to detail but also emphasizes their belief in teamwork.

"Starry Sky"
"Starry Sky"is a team composed of five R&D engineers. Their creation is named "Knight," with team leader Jacky stating that his inspiration comes from the Gundam series. Because Gundam is not only a powerful warrior but also symbolizes courage, honor, and the spirit of protecting others. These values deeply attracted him. So they hope to convey these spirits to more people through this competition. "Knight" combines the classic elements of Gundam, including sturdy armor, sharp swords, and resilient shields. Each part is carefully selected from the company's discarded parts and meticulously polished and assembled. The robot not only embodies the majestic knight style in appearance but also demonstrates high engineering skills and innovative design in its internal structure. Jacky said this is the highlight of their robot.

"Baby's Egg Sadness"
The creative team "Baby's Egg Sadness" consists of three R&D engineers. Their creativity shines through both their team name and their product. The team name originated when team leader Hojo received an egg during a Christmas gift exchange, sparking his inspiration. Team member Thunder mentioned that their highlight is the collaboration of the SIEM team. Whether it's the teamwork among members or the cooperation of parts, any challenge can be overcome as long as they work together. "I love my team, I love my crew" is their team chant, which is incredibly inspiring.

"Minions"
The last team, "Minions," is composed of three R&D engineers. Why the name "Minions"? Team leader Jerry explained that the inspiration came from the Minions movie. He was deeply attracted to the adorable minions in the film and found inspiration in them. He believes that while a single minion may not be able to accomplish a difficult task, a group of minions united can achieve what seems impossible. This spirit of teamwork deeply moved him. "Dinosaur" is the name of their creation. They chose this name because they believe that while traditional perceptions of dinosaurs are often associated with fearsome traits, dinosaurs also have a cute side. Moreover, dinosaurs were social animals with a strong sense of teamwork, which aligns with their team's philosophy. Through their creation, they hope to change people's perceptions of dinosaurs and break the misconceptions about them.

In this event, each team's enthusiastic participation fully demonstrated the company's core values of "Trust," "Innovation," and "Teamwork"! The creativity and collaborative spirit of the teams not only added brilliance to the event but also exemplified the company's commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) practices. From an Environmental perspective, we started with the concept of recycling and reusing materials. Through this competition, we gave a second life to discarded parts, realizing the regenerative value of waste materials. From a Social perspective, we encouraged employees to express their ideas and provided support to allow them to freely unleash their creativity and talents, making them feel valued and supported by the company. We look forward to more ESG-integrated activities in the future, enabling employees to advance on the path of innovation while simultaneously bringing positive impacts to society and the environment.