Dubai is continuing to showcase itself as one of the most modern cities in the world, this time holding a large-scale robot-building event aimed at saving the world’s oceans.
With the Expo 2020 Dubai focusing on ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, Abu Dhabi opening the world’s first artificial intelligence post graduate programme, and the Emirates pushing towards a smart city, it is clear the UAE is embracing robots wholeheartedly. Now Dubai has held its first ever robotics competition at the First Global Challenge event.
First Global (DXB) Challenge is a 1,500-student strong event for bringing together youth passionate and promising in the fields of robotics, AI, mathematics and various other scientific topics. Founded in 2015, it is the first time the event has taken place outside of the United States. One of the most notable parts of the ‘Challenge’ is the ‘Olympics-style robotics competition’.
The pupils, from 191 countries, came together to create robots which could be utilised to help clean up the oceans. Students were divided into teams of four or five, with students being no older than 18. The robots were required to be able to hoover up plastic balls of various sizes and launch them into baskets either side of the arena.
الإثارة كانت عنوان اليوم الثاني من تحدي فيرست جلوبال دبي، حيث استمرت المنافسة بين الفرق المشاركة تحت هدف واحد… حماية المحيطات!#فيرست_جلوبال_دبي pic.twitter.com/kUP944tCmP
— 2019 First Global Challenge Dubai (@FirstGlobalDxb) October 26, 2019
The event was organised by Dubai Future Foundation under the theme of ‘Ocean Opportunities’, focusing on developing robots to clean up polluted oceans and help protect marine life and habitats. The installation went for a blue arena to represent oceans and the plastic balls to represent pollutants needing to be removed.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, explained that: “Dubai has opened its doors for talent to flourish. Hosting such global events enables Dubai to translate this guidance into reality and ensure positive outcomes that benefit humankind. We are proud to have become enablers for the convergence of minds and initiatives that pave the way for creating a better tomorrow.”
“The future of the world is in the hands of young people. Our role is to help empower them and expand their participation in all fields so as to prepare them to face future challenges. It is crucial that we provide them with the tools that enable them to create and advance because they hold the key to a prosperous future,”
Today I attended the opening ceremony of @FirstGlobalDxb robotics & AI championship that we are hosting in Dubai, a regional first. 1,500 of the world’s brightest youth talents are here with a goal to spark positive change in their societies & better confront global challenges. pic.twitter.com/OXEgy0jNKh
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) October 24, 2019
First Global Challenge runs from October 24-27, held at the Festival Arena in Dubai. The event concludes today (October 27) with the final heats taking place for best robot. Check out the website here.
