Edutech to host 2nd UAE National Robotics Competition

Edutech Middle East, a leading provider of technology-enabled learning solutions, will organise the second ‘UAE National Robotics Olympiad’ to be held at Dubai Men’s College on October 16 under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Education.

A panel of judges will select two teams to participate from two different categories in the World Robotics Olympiad 2007, which will be held in Taiwan on November 16-18. Dubai-based Edutech has doubled the number of teams it will sponsor to the event following the successful participation of the ‘Our Own High School-Al Warqa’ team last year, which ranked 14th among 60 contenders from all over the world.

The UAE National Robotics Olympiad is aimed at developing the creative ability, problem-solving skills and capabilities in robotic design as well as recognizing young talent in the country. Edutech, in collaboration with LEGO, the leading manufacturer and supplier of robotic solutions, will sponsor the trip of the two winning teams to Taipei, Taiwan to participate in the international event.

At the UAE National Robotics Olympiad, 16-18-year old students will compete under the open category of ‘Civil Safety, Security and Emergency Response’ and narrate a science fiction story through their constructed robots. In addition to the demonstration and presentation, the teams will have to answer a series of questions from the panel of expert judges. The regular category will be contested by 13-15-year-old students, who will vie for the ‘Robo Ambulating Rally’, where constructed robots must maneouvre along a marked track while following traffic instructions and overcoming obstacles.

“Robotics is being used as an extracurricular activity in many schools in the UAE, having been proven to effectively hone the mental and engineering skills of young learners,” said Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali, Minister of Education.