World Robot Olympiad begins in Capital today

 More than 1,500 students from over 35 countries will be in the Capital today to show off their technical designing and programming skills as they compete for the coveted award at this year?s International World Robot Olympiad (WRO). The eighth edition of the WRO is being hosted for the first time out of Southeast Asia and by an Arab country. It is the largest international robotic competitions for students, who compete in teams to assemble robots that will participate in challenges to solve a specific problem. The WRO platform allows young students to learn and apply their knowledge in science, engineering, math and computer programming to build an intelligent robot.

Representing the UAE national team are 265 students, forming 96 teams, from the public and private schools across the emirates ‘ 24 teams from Abu Dhabi, 19 from Al Ain, 23 from Dubai, five from Fujairah, seven from Madinat Zayed, seven from Ras Al Khaimah and 11 from Ruwais.

In addition, six teams from special needs centres will participate in a special exhibition category hosted by the UAE WRO Organising Committee.

The two-day event is being hosted by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). 

“It is a significant achievement for Abu Dhabi to have been selected as the host for this international event that has traditionally has its roots in Far East Asia,” said Dr Najla Al Naqbi, Programme Manager at the ADEC, said.

“We are proud of the performance and quality of the teams which will be representing the UAE in the competition this year. The impressive effort displayed in the national qualification, the increase in participation, and diversity of teams across the emirates are a testament to the growing popularity of robotics here in the UAE,” she added.

The competition features three main categories. In the Open Category, participants will be asked to develop and present a robotic solution that would assist in improving the lives of humans. In the Regular Category, specific rules will be given relating to a particular mission, which is determined by the age group categories. The third WRO GEN II Robot Football comprises participants between the ages of 11 and 19 to construct robots, including controller and sensors, for a 122cm by 183cm official football playing field.

Some of the Open Category participants in the UAE include an innovative cost-efficient automatic wheelchair for the disabled by students from the Secondary Technical School in Shahama; a robot that transports an injured patient to the right unit and bed by Our Own High School in Al Warqa’a; a motorised robotic forklift to load cargoes in ships; and a grass-cutter robot from the Applied Technology High School in Dubai.

“This robot doesn’t require people. It cuts grass automatically reducing the chance of injury. This is useful for the future. In the next several years, everything will be run automatically,” said Abdul Rahman Al Alili, 17. Student participants, coaches, chaperones, and VIP delegates from abroad have begun arriving in Abu Dhabi this week to prepare for the competition.

One of the first delegations, consisting of two teams and four chaperones, to arrive was from Germany. The members spent the time exploring the sights of the UAE, including a tour of the National Museum, Al Ain Oasis, the camel market and Jebel Hafeet.

“It is important that our pupils not only see the competition, but also see the country and the people living here, they should get an image of the country and history of Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” said Karl-Heinz Scholz, coach of the LEGOmania team.

“It is a very different culture and we want to integrate,” team member Felix Hasselwander said.

Alongside the competition, the ADEC will be hosting the fourth International Symposium on Robotics in Education on November 18 and 19. The symposium will provide a forum to present and discuss the latest advances, improvements and challenges for robotics and its significant role in education.