Club Spotlight: MUREX Robotics
By HANNAH WEI, KAYLEE GONG, OWEN LEE, BETTY PAI, ANDREW YANG, AVA TRUONG, and HANNAH REN
“It was 11:00 p.m. and I decided to post the network switch onto the tech forum [Hacker News], and almost instantly it became like top page news,” said MUREX captain Byran Huang, as he recalled one of his favorite moments on the team. This success wasn’t just luck; it was the result of hard work and innovation by a group of young engineers who dedicated their time to making their statement in the robotics world.
With 14 members and over 20 hours of time commitment each week, this MATE ROV has achieved a major milestone by developing the world’s smallest network switch – capturing global attention and receiving attention from millions of engineers from around the world.
MUREX has an impressive track record of achievements in the competitive field of underwater robotics. In 2024, the team reached new heights at the MATE ROV World Championships, delivering the highest-ever scoring engineering presentation in the competition’s history across all divisions (113/100) and securing 1st place for their engineering presentation. They also earned 6th place overall and claimed individual honors, with Byran Huang being named MVP for the engineering presentation. Additionally, the team took 3rd place in the marketing display competition with a near-perfect score.
At the 2024 New England Regionals, MUREX achieved 2nd place overall, winning 1st place in technical documentation (tied) and engineering presentation, 1st place (tied) for marketing display, and 2nd place in product demonstration. They also previously earned the Team Spirit Award in 2023 and have consistently ranked among the top 5 teams in New England each year.
As the team prepares for the upcoming year, team captain Byran Huang noted, “I don’t think I need to push the team in any particular direction…everyone was super excited about the upcoming year.” He also explains his goals and plans for the team, “My hope is that the team operates independently. People have their own ideas, people do their own engineering, and we’re just here to support each other.”
Lower and team member Marvin Shim expanded on their team dynamics, saying, “Since the team is very small, we really are like a group where everyone has an equal say in the proceedings, no matter the title.”
To emphasize this point further, senior Altan Unver commented about the time commitment, noting that he had spent “approximately 700 hours working on the robot (last season).” This group of young individuals are very passionate about robotics and are a strong and committed team.
One of MUREX’s most notable achievements is its network switch. This high school team has developed and shared the world’s smallest network switch. Huang commented about how it all started: “It came out of necessity…When we designed our robot, we were planning on using a commercial networking switch…but as we further developed the solution, I realized (that) it doesn’t fit at all.”
The team worked hard to find a solution. “I remember spending late nights last Fall debating over where to place a via, how to minimize noise, which chips to reposition; watching the same YouTube video seven times and stumbling my way through obscure whitepapers…I remember every moment, and I loved it,” shared upper Max Liu.
Their dedication allowed them to achieve their goal, Huang explained: “Our mission has always been to beat out this company that…makes incredibly overpriced parts.” He also goes into their plans for the future, saying, “An idea that I have this year is to build one that’s even smaller. I hope [it’s] half the size.”
Through a coordinated team effort, not only did MUREX innovate to solve immediate challenges, but they also pioneered new techniques to create the world’s smallest networking switch. As a team, they showed us next-level creativity, courage, and determination. With this, a big congratulations to MUREX, and we look forward to what this team will achieve in the near future.
