Robots set to shine at UQ

This weekend, August 21-22, The University of Queensland’s UQ Centre at Union Road, St Lucia will be overrun by a number of very talented robots.

Hosted by UQ’s School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, the RoboCup Junior Queensland Championships allows primary and secondary school students to showcase the robots which they have designed and built.

The Chair of the RoboCup Junior Queensland Committee, Alexander Bush, said RoboCup Junior was a great initiative which provided school students with an insight into the field of robotics which they otherwise might not have received.

“RoboCup Junior involves both engineering and IT skills and allows students to gain hands on experience with electronics, software and hardware,” Mr Bush said.

“Each robot has been built by students and programmed to dance, play soccer or perform a simulated rescue operation.

“Participation in UQ’s RoboCup has grown 40 percent from last year’s event, with an expected 480 students to participate throughout the course of the weekend.”

To prepare teams for Robocup Junior, experienced tutors at UQ have designed a number of workshops to help students and teachers further their knowledge of the underlying concepts of robotics.

The students and teachers alike are then able to take these skills back to the classroom to build and program a robot to compete in the annual RoboCup Junior Competition.

The winners of the Queensland competition will be invited to attend the RoboCup Junior Australian Open Championships which will take place in Tasmania on the 24-25 September.

UQ robotics tutor and Robocup organiser, Marie Boden said that RoboCup Junior was a fun and educational event which encouraged school students to develop an interest in technological fields.

“RoboCup Junior is a fantastic opportunity for students, teachers and parents to gain an insight into the fields of robotics.

“This event is open to the public and I encourage all interested parties to come down to the UQ Centre on the weekend to see the robots in action,” Ms Boden said.

For more information please visit http://www.uq.edu.au/events/event_view.php?event_id=7718

Media: Madelene Flanagan (m.flanagan@uq.edu.au, 3365 8525) or Alexander Bush (bushs@iona.qld.edu.au, 0412 799 055)