When UCSB announced it would host the Austrian National Soccer Team for FIFA World Cup training, preparations for the team's arrival relied on a unique tool that has transformed the university's athletic operations.
"Turf Tank became one of our most valuable tools when I started working at UC Santa Barbara—we became coworkers!" said Jayson Simpson, assistant athletic director for events, facilities, and project operations at UCSB.
Dubbed the "first-ever autonomous, GPS-guided line-marking robot" by its maker, Turf Tank ApS , the device has been part of UCSB Athletics since the fall of 2024, the same year Simpson joined the department. About the size of a microwave and controlled via tablet, the robot paints logos, lines, and numbers on athletic fields with minimal manual input.