Khalifa University, organisers of the upcoming Mohamed bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge, MBZIRC, has released information regarding the competition, including details on the tasks that the participants will have to complete and a call for "Intention to Participate and Request for Information (ITP-RFI)''.

The inaugural 2016 competition will consist of three challenges and a triathlon type "Grand Challenge". It will take place in an outdoor open arena the approximate size of a football pitch. Challenge 1 requires an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, to locate, track and land on top of a moving ground vehicle. Challenge 2 requires an unmanned ground vehicle, UGV, to locate and reach a second ground vehicle, and locate and physically operate a valve on a side of the vehicle. Challenge 3 requires a team of UAVs to collaborate to search, locate, track, pick and place a set of static and moving objects. The Grand Challenge requires a team of robots (UAVs and UGVs) to compete in an event that combines Challenges 1, 2 and 3.

"Our wise leadership aims to make our country a hub for innovation, particularly for innovation that will have an impact on technology around the world. This competition will bring international focus on the UAE, its capabilities and on our youth and educational programmes, and also encourage universities in the region to focus more on science, technology and robotics." said Dr. Arif Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of Khalifa University. "The challenge is designed in a way that will encourage teams to develop enhancements to current robotic technologies, it is our hope that the innovative solutions the teams come up with will advance the way we design robots in the future. MBZIRC is really a catalyst for the future of robotics technology development in the UAE and beyond."

"This competition is motivated by the technological challenges facing next generation robotics, which are poised to have a transformative impact in a variety of new markets," said Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at Khalifa University. "We aim to focus on some of these technologies by providing a demanding set of benchmark robotics challenges that will attract the best international teams, showcase state-of-the-art robotics technology and inspire innovation. Similar to other major competitions, MBZIRC aims to provide an environment that fosters innovation and technical excellence, while encouraging spectacular performance with robotics technology."

An independent panel of judges, which brings together top international robotic experts, will oversee and judge the competition. MBZIRC is expected to attract the greatest minds in the field of robotics from among the world's best universities, research centres and international companies.

Teams interested in participating in the competition, and applying for sponsorship, are requested to submit an online application form by June 15th, 2015. Individuals can look for more information about MBZIRC on social media via the hashtag #MBZIRC on Twitter and Facebook @MBZIRC.