German team wins $1m robotics competition
Seeing the world’s best minds in robotics ... makes you reflect on the potential of their work to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.” Dr Arif Al Hammadi, Khalifa University’s executive vice-president
abu dhabi — A groundbreaking robotics competition held in the UAE has seen robots engineered to engage in activities and functions to aid human existence, and offered a glimpse into the advanced robotics sphere.
A team from the University of Bonn in Germany has been awarded $1 million (Dh3.67 million) after emerging the winner of the robotics competition in Abu Dhabi.
Robots working in teams to lift heavy objects, unmanned ground vehicles and drones were part of a three-day display event at Yas Island Marina circuit, which was also open to the general public.
Twenty-six teams from 15 countries competed for the US$5 million (Dh18.35 million) cash prize for the winners of the Mohammed bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge, the UAE’s biggest robotics competition. “It’s pretty amazing to win these competitions, it has been tough challenges,” said Sebestenian Houpen, 33, a student from Bonn University. “We have been preparing working on the robots for over a year. My work was on the computer vision and flying robots.”
Bonn University won both the third challenge and the Grand challenge competition (over all award).
The team from Eth Zurich university from Swiftzeland was in second position for the Grand challenge competition and teams from Chech Technician University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Flincoln and Prague_Upennvol were in third position.
What the challenges involved
Challenge 1 was won by Beijing institute of Technology and Chech Technician University team, University of Pennsylvania, University of Flincoln and Prague_Upennvol teams won challenge 2.
Winners of the first three challenges were offered Dh1.2 million.
In the first challenge, each team had a total of 30 minutes to have their unmanned ground vehicles find and reach a panel and operate an attached valve stem.
In the second challenge, each team was required to deploy their unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to find, track and land on a moving vehicle within 20 minutes.
Challenge 3 involved a group of UAVs working together to locate, track, pick and place stationary and moving objects within 30 minutes.
In the fourth and final Grand Challenge, teams were asked to complete all of the first three assignments simultaneously and the winner was awarded US$1 million (Dh3.67 million.)
University students from across the UAE flocked to the event to catch a glimpse of advanced robotics technologies at work.”