[WATCH] Maltese students to compete in International Robotic Olympics

Maltese students to compete in International Robotic Olympics

Three Maltese ICT students will next week be travelling to Washington D.C. where they will be competing in the annual First Global Challenge – International Robotic Olympics.

The three students – Andrea Abela, Patrick Brejza and Clive Tonna – are Level 4 second year MCAST students, enrolled in a Software Development course, and together, have succeeded in building a robot that is able separate blue balls from orange balls using colour sensors, in a process simulating water filtration.

The robot is also able to lift itself off the ground by attaching itself to a horizontally placed beam.

Speaking at a press conference, the students explained how they assembled and wrote the software for the robot using parts and materials provided by the competition’s organisers.

Photo by James Bianchi

The competition’s theme this year is: ‘Provide access to clean water’, and robot submissions will be judged on their ability to accomplish tasks such as storing water, filtering contaminated water and procuring new sources of water.

Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation Silvio Schembri congratulated the students on their accomplishment and said that the government was committed to providing further opportunities for students in innovation and the digital economy.

“It is a great opportunity for Maltese students to be representing our country in the US, whilst also gaining good career exposure in such a prestigious international competition,” said Schembri, who insisted that a future Maltese economy would be dependent on progress in robotics and related fields.  

On her part, US Ambassador G. Kathleen Hill congratulated the students and said that the Embassy in Malta was committed to supporting similar educational exchanges.

“These exchanges, help promote a positive image of the US through education,” she said. “One of my personal goals is to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics among youths.”

The competition will be held between 16 and 18 July