EUROBOT is one of the most innovative robotic competitions in the world. In this competition two fully autonomous robots must compete one against each other, following specific rules. The rule set defines each detail of the match, but at the same time leaves enough space to team fantasy. Every year the rules are redefined with a new game: this allows the teams to easily introduce new technological solutions, to develop always new systems and allows a new team to join Eurobot with the same chances as a more experienced one. Every team, joining Eurobot from all over the world, must explore all the possibilities offered from the rule set, exploiting a variety of technical knowledge as mechanics, informatics, electronics and control theory in order to achieve the best solution for the proposed topic. Moreover the final competition is carried out in a very funny and comfortable atmosphere.

Eurobot 2006

The Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e dei Sistemi of the University of Catania has been selected as organizer of the 9th edition of the EUROBOT competition, to be hosted in Catania – Italy, with the expected participation of more than 60 different teams coming from all over the world (Europe, Mediterranean area, America, Asia).

The organizing committee, with the help of local administrators and some sponsors, is working to achieve the best results in the organization of the event. Nowadays in the world there are several robotic competition with different rules and topics that involve students starting from primary schools that are attracted towards this discipline because of a number of novels and science fiction. Moreover they easily learn robotics by building something real. This opportunity allows to share knowledge and to stay in contact with different culture and places. All over the world there are a lot of sport events; it is not very clear if a robotic competition is something like a sport (in Japan there are funded project aimed to build a robotic soccer team to compete with a standard human team in 2050), but for sure all the passion and atmosphere related to the Eurobot event is the same of any other sport event. Moreover there is some added value in the fact that they realize their robot in strict contact with other people, increasing their learning rate in a funny environment.

Also general public that simply come to see the match can learn something new about technology and shorten their distance with robotics.

Rules

The rules of the 2006 events have been placed on-line on the Eurobot web site (www.eurobot.org) and suitable public event. It will be translated in 6 languages.

The Eurobot competition was born in 1998 as an extension of a national robotic competition in France. This local competition was active from 1994.
In the beginning (until the 7th edition), the Eurobot international competition has been held in La Fertè Bernard – France just after the national competition: only the winners of the French cup (first three teams) were allowed to join the international cup.
Starting from the 8th edition, the Eurobot competition has really become an international itinerant one. The 8th edition was been held in Yverdon-les-Bains – Switzerland from 20/5 to 22/5 2005.
The even more increasing popularity of EUROBOT, allowed such event to become an international one that, starting from the first year in 1998 involving only 4 European nations, this year has involved more than 300 young roboticians coming from universities and engineering schools of 22 European nations grouped in 50 teams. Since only three teams from the same nation are allowed to join the Eurobot competition, national qualifications have been held in 9 different countries. So the 2005 edition has involved a total of more than 250 teams all over the Europe.

This competition is a very good test-bed for young people that like to introduce themselves to robotics and in general to the technological world, taking advantage from a multicultural environment.
They come in contact with real problems (also failures !) and learn to complete some technical tasks in a specific time slot within a work group, respecting each other. They can meet professional people in the area and can exchange ideas and found future work chance, while enjoying robotics.
The rules try to maximize the use of technical solution and the use of fantasy and creativity, while attracting the general people by means of a ‘user friendly’ aspect of the match, allowing them to come in contact with the new technology without fears.