Final Teams Selected for International Robotics Challenge

Khalifa University organizers of the Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC) have announced that the final 28 teams have been chosen to compete in the competition scheduled to take place March 16 – 18 2017 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

MBZIRC will test the skills of some of the best robotics designers and programmers in the world with the competing teams were chosen from a list of forty five academic institutions and robotics companies narrowed down from 316 original applicants from the United States the United Kingdom Spain Australia Japan China Switzerland the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Korea Germany Italy Singapore France Denmark and Poland.

Universities such as Carnegie Mellon Georgia Tech The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and Imperial College London will go head to head against Next Technology and Japan’s Project C.G.S in this inaugural robotics challenge boasting prize winnings of 5 million USD.

The contest will require teams to use an Unmanned Aerial and Ground Vehicles (UAV and UGV’s) to locate track and land on moving vehicles locate and reach a panel and physically operate a valve stem on it and work together in order to search locate track pick up and place a set of still and moving objects.

“The quality of the finalists is testament to the attention this challenge has garnered from across the globe ” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Vice President of Khalifa University. “Moreover the fact that the initial call for competitors drew 316 applicants is a sign of the importance robotics and the advancement of robotic technology plays in today’s world. Robotics especially the creation and improvement of UAV’s and UGV’s is a critical industry which is why the wise leadership of the UAE decided to invest in a competition that will require teams made up of some of the brightest minds in the business to test and advance their skills in order to win. The innovation that will be required to win this challenge will undoubtedly have a long lasting effect on the field of robotics and I look forward to seeing them in person during the challenge.”