At GEAR 2009 we had 48 teams competing, and expect over 100 next year. The teams built a robot that could find it's own way around the course to grab hockey pucks and guide them into the goal box. The teams could use touch sensors, ultrasonic sensors and light sensors to do this.
Itec sponsors multiple research labs that use robotics and automated systems. We take tours of labs that show robotic arms and automated assembly lines, a rapid-prototyping machine, and electro-microscope***.