Team AdDU won the title of Champion in the CODEE XI 14th Engineering Congress’ Techno Pitch Competition last April 29-30, 2024. In the competition, the team pitched their machine, the Robocao, which stands for Robotics for the Cacao Industry.
Robocao is an automated cacao fermentation machine designed to simplify processing and production of halal – grade chocolates, creating smart agriculture solutions for our local farmers, specifically the cacao and coffee lands. What’s special about this machine is that the fermentation tank is not only exclusive to cacao seeds, it can also be used in any agricultural products that undergo a fermentation process. By digitally monitoring and recording the key parameters for fermentation such as temperature, humidity and pH level, this robust design reduces spoilage and can ferment up to 300 kgs of cacao seeds.
The team was originally composed of two groups who merged together. The members are Denisse Armamento, Christian Kyle Arcamo, and Raphael Lorenzo Panaligan, who coined the term Cacao, and partnered with the Draco Team, John Kyl Cortez, Johann Claude Espina, and Jacob Andre Dela Cruz. These are the same group members who also designed the Ateneo DIY Air Purifier.
This project was funded by GIZ, a German-based international cooperation agency.