Robots play soccer in tech contest

Robots scoring goals and competing for titles at the Robot Olympiad 2015 held here was an amalgamation of fun and hi-tech learning.

In Sunday's competition, the robot entered by team Lionel Messi from Delhi came first by scoring the maximum number of goals.

The olympiad had five different categories, Robo Soccer being one of them.

The rest of the teams that won in different categories included Robo Kids from Bengaluru, Dark Dinos from Delhi, and The Knights and Knowtillus from Mumbai.

A total of 709 contestants from across the country aged between 9 to 18 years participated in the event.

Rahesh Sarah, a member of the winning team Knowtillus in the open category -- with their robot "Manthan" that can sniff ores 6,000 feet below the ground and explore minerals, said: "I have been participating for the last four years but this time we have won it and now we will represent the country in the World Robot Olympiad."

Twenty teams would represent the country this year at the World Robot Olympiad, which takes place at Doha, Qatar, in November.

Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon T.L. Satyaprakash said: "The idea of Robotics is to hasten the process of transforming the investment-driven economy to innovation-driven economy."

Indian STEM Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has established a robot laboratory in Vidya School here that has helped the students to new levels of using modern technology.

Vishal Paudel, 12, a student of Vidya school and a participant, said: "Representing our school on this platform is itself an achievement. Next year, we will work harder and learn more."