Three young members of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Sharjah, along with their teammates from Delhi Private School Sharjah, competed at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) World Festival 2024 in Houston, Texas. Team Dynamax, led by Taher Aliasgar Burhanpurwala, Taha Munim, and Hatim Sanjeliwala, showcased their technical expertise and teamwork, earning multiple accolades.
What is the FIRST LEGO League?
The FIRST LEGO League is a global robotics competition where students design, build, and program LEGO robots to solve real-world problems. Teams design and program robots to complete themed challenges, which test their innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
“FLL challenges us to think creatively and push our problem-solving skills,” said Taher, the team lead. “It’s all about collaboration, learning from failures, and improving constantly.”
Formed in 2022, Team Dynamax qualified to represent the UAE at the FLL World Festival in Houston, USA, after rigorous preparation and competition. “Qualifying was a tough journey that tested our resilience,” said Taher. “Designing a reliable, competition-ready robot required constant refinement and problem-solving.”
Innovation and Engineering Excellence
The 2023 FLL theme “SUPERPOWERED” focused on energy efficiency. Team Dynamax developed an Autonomous Crane that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automate heavy lifting and improve efficiency in port operations.
“Our robot, built with LEGO SPIKE Prime and programmed in Spike, had unique attachments and a custom design that made it highly efficient,” said Taha Munim, the team’s programmer. LEGO SPIKE Prime is a widely used robotics kit in FLL, featuring programmable hubs, motors, and sensors, allowing students to develop practical engineering and coding skills. “Creating a precise and adaptable design was challenging but through teamwork, we refined our approach and built an effective robot,” said Hatim Sanjeliwala, the team’s builder.
Competing on the Global Stage
At the World Festival, the team engaged with competitors from across the globe. “The competition atmosphere was electrifying. Meeting teams from different countries made for a fantastic exchange of ideas and innovative strategies,” said Taher. One of their most exciting moments was presenting their innovation project. “Explaining how our project could bring real-world change was both nerve-wracking and exhilarating,” said Taher.
Team Dynamax’s innovation and teamwork earned them multiple awards: the Innovation Award, RoboGame Award, Core Values Award, and the Judges' Special Award. “Our project stood out because it was unique and impactful,” said Taher.
The experience at FLL reinforced the team’s passion for STEM, robotics, and AI. “This experience strengthened my passion for innovation,” said Taher. “It’s shown me how technology can drive real-world solutions.” For young Dawoodi Bohras interested in FLL, Taher’s advice is simple: “Just start! FLL is about learning, growing, and pushing your limits.”
Community Support and Encouragement
The team credited their success to their school, teachers, mentors, families, and the Dawoodi Bohra community in Sharjah. “Our parents were our biggest supporters. They encouraged us, helped us manage our time, and motivated us through the intense preparation,” said Taher.
With their success, Team Dynamax hopes to mentor and inspire future FLL teams. “I plan to mentor younger teams, volunteer at FLL events, and start robotics initiatives in our community,” said Taher.
Their journey at FLL World Festival 2024 is a testament to the power of innovation, teamwork, and perseverance—qualities that will shape the next generation of STEM leaders, innovators, and change makers.
