Androids Advance Challenge: the UK's first humanoid robot championship! – University of Reading
28 June 2007The UK's first humanoid robot tournament is to be held at the Science Museum in London on the July 4 2007 (09.00 press call, event ending 17.00).
Sixteen teams from secondary schools in London and the South East of England will compete with each other on the day by controlling their humanoid robots through a demanding assault course, and then watching their robots perform in a 'robot disco dance-off'!
The event will be a visual, fast and fun day, with robots needing to perform quickly to complete the challenges. Spectators can expect an entertaining and engaging tournament with humanoid robots navigating the varied environments, plus commentary and interviews with robotics experts from TV and academia, as well as other familiar faces from TV science shows, all of whom will be on-hand during the day.
Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics at Reading University, said: "Not more than 10 years ago, getting a robot to walk was thought to be a near impossibility. Now, to enable children to program and control humanoid robots themselves to do just that is wonderfully exciting – it is these children who will create the whole new world of the future.
"The long-term objective is to generate the interest of boys and girls in science and engineering in an innovative and exiting way. Here the participants get a fully hands-on understanding of what robots can achieve, as well as inspiration for what may be possible in the future!"
The event coincides with the launch of the live action robot movie 'Transformers' by Michael Bay, which is ideal for fostering interest in the science and engineering of robotics, and hence promoting UK research in this field.
The project is the result of a partnership between the University of Reading (event organisers), Young Engineers, MechRC and The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Ends
Schools taking part are:
Greenacre School Kent
Sackville Community College West Sussex
City of Portsmouth Boys School Hampshire
Heathfield Community College East Sussex
Manhood Community College West Sussex
Kingston Grammar School Surrey
Langley Park School for Boys Kent
King Alfred's Sport and Community College Oxfordshire
Filsham Valley School East Sussex
Warriner School, Bloxham Oxfordshire
Springfield School, Drayton Hampshire
Merton College Surrey
Mulberry Girls School London
The Holt School Berkshire
Bearwood College, Winnersh Berkshire
Gladesmore Community School, Tottenham London
For more information, contact Dr. Jim Wyatt, University of Reading. Tel: 07798 572918, fax 0118 3788220, email him, or visit the University of Reading cybernetics website
For additional media information contact Catia Fernandes , telephone 0118 3787144 or visit the Androids Advance website
To schedule an interview with Prof. Kevin Warwick, please contact Carole Leppard on 0118 378 8218 or Catia Fernandes as above.
More about the University of Reading: We have an extensive track record of high profile public engagement in the field of science and engineering and dedicated support of youth engineering initiatives. Equally, the University of Reading has a long history of research in the fields of robotics, Artificial Intelligence and engineering.
The University of Reading is one of the foremost research-led universities in the UK. Founded in the nineteenth century and gaining a Royal Charter in 1926, we offer a wide range of programmes from the pure and applied sciences to languages, social sciences and fine art. New research and the latest thinking continually feed into undergraduate teaching, with our academic staff working at the forefront of their fields of expertise.