R.U.R is the Sci-Fi play from which the word “Robot” came. Rossum’s Universal Robots is written by Karel Capek, a Czech writer, in 1921. The play got an instant fame and translated in nearly every language. The play revolves around a factory that makes robots that look like humans, more like androids or cyborgs, they are able to think for themselves and do many jobs. Everything is fine in the beginning until these cyborgs make a revolution against their masters – humans- which leads to the extinction of our kind! Such a prophetic idea of Capek, which became an issue in the modern Robotics symposia, should be defined as pure genius. Robots gradually left the literary arena into the scientific one, but whether we will see Copek’s idea being accomplished is a question that has not been answered yet.
It is important to mention that this field is not only based on the science guys with B.A or M.S under belt. Many of the contributions is made by amateurs who might participate in different competitions held worldwide.
Robo-One is first held in Japan in the year 2002 and continue to be held in Tokyo half annually with different events held abroad related to the major competition. The competition gives a focus to humanoid robots – one that look like humans, not the machine or animal ones.
FIRST championship is held every year in the United States and takes place for no more than 4 days. The championship is divided in three challenges covering LEGO, Tech, and Robotics challenge. The three divisions target kids of different age groups that hoes up to high schoolers.
8 World Robot Olympiad
The world olympiad is held annually in any country worldwide. The first time ever was in 2004 in Singapore. Participants could be up to 19 years of age and younger. The 2014 competition was held in the States in Lawrence Technological School. Where the competition is held, participants from all around the world travel to work their minds over their piece of art!
NASA, DARPA, and MIT present the current problems of importance to them for different age groups to compete over solving. Participants worldwide can be of different majors and professions. The problems are often in the programming field more than the other Robotics’ fields of interest. Participant program a specific MIT robot called SPHERES.
Micromouse is an annual competition that could be held in any country worldwide. The challenge is to build a mouse that can compete in a maze of 180mm square. The mouse that works automatically, has to find its way through the center of the maze.
BEST Robotics refers to Boosting, Engineering, Science and Technology. The challenge is held one a year in the United States and lasts for no more than a week.
In Georgia institute of technology the making of aerial robots like drones take place. Participants could mainly be from the United States an few other countries.
The Google Lunar XPrize is given to any participant who is able to create successfully a spacecraft that is able to fly to space and send images from there.
2 MIT Robocon
MIT Robocon Team is an Indian team that held competitions nearly every season of the year. The participating teams can be of three categories, programming, electronic and mechanical.
DARPA Grand Challenge is more focused on the military use of robots. This challenge intiated the tradition of cars with no drivers. The prize money for the competition is around $1 million as stated by the American Congress. They have in mind to turn their military forces into automatic ones, that is why they are ready to invest money in such competitions.