OREANDA-NEWS. December 02, 2015. A total of 1,422 competitors together with 657 robots registered for the December Robotex, making it the biggest robot competition in Europe this year. The youngest competitor is a 3-year-old Estonian boy.

According to Project Manager of Robotex 2015 and PhD student of TUT Mechanical Engineering Marti Arak, all signs indicate that Robotex will seize the title of Europe’s largest robot competition already this year. “This March, a total of 640 robots entered the competition of RobotChallenge held in Vienna, Austria. We will host a total of 657 robots at Robotex,” Arak said. “A total of 28% robots come from abroad, meaning that the geographic background of the participants is particularly versatile this year – a total of 15 countries will be covered.”

A majority of foreign competitors come from Latvia (73), followed by Lithuania (58), Russia (11), and Poland (7). There will also be robot builders from Belarus, Colombia, Algeria, Finland, Sweden, Greece, India, Nigeria, Turkey, and Ukraine participating at Robotex. The youngest robot builder is a 3-year-old Estonian boy, who will compete in LEGO line following. The oldest competitor is a 58-year-old Estonian man, who will match strength in regular Line following.

This year’s most popular contest turns out to be LEGO sumo with its 169 registered robots. This is followed by Line following with 87, robot motocross Folkrace with 80, and LEGO line following with 76 participants.

The fifteenth Robotex takes place in TUT Sports Hall from 4–6 December, and there will be a total of 17 contests taking place. For the first time, there will be Freestyle, Driving through the city, Micro sumo, Line following with an obstacle, and Water race taking place at this year’s Robotex. The latter three are also held for the first time in Estonia. Robotex is free both for the competitors and the spectators.

Robotex is organised by Tallinn University of Technology in cooperation with the University of Tartu and the Information Technology Foundation for Education.

The gold sponsors of Robotex 2015 are ICD Industries and Technobalt Group.

The major sponsors of Robotex 2015 are: Stoneridge, iRobot, Ensto, Tehnikarent, Oomipood, Festo, Interflux Eesti, Microsoft, Finest Steel, Ldiamon, Klotsipood, and Duroc Machine Tool.

The partners of Robotex 2015 are: Gambling Tax Council, Estonian Research Agency, EAS – European Social Fund, TUT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, TUT Student Union, TUT Faculty of Information Technology, TUT Faculty of Chemical and Materials Technology, TUT Faculty of Science, Robootika MT?, Estonian Electronics Industries Association, TUT Robotics Club, Student Council of TUT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Baltic Robot Sumo, Federation of Estonian Engineering Industry, Tallinn City Enterprise Board, and M.A. Group.

The sponsors of Robotex 2015 are: Tehnopol, Proekspert, Eesti Elecster, Toftan, Harju Elekter, 3K Group, Artec Design, Zone.ee, Metec, Baltflex, ELFA Distrelec, Metaprint, Hoiame Kokku Grupp, PKC Group, Televisioonimeedia, Megazone, Baltic Steel Center, ITT Group, Helmes, Techgroup, Robomiku, STV, Kuulsaal, Flir, Abplanalp Estee, Perel Eesti, YE International, Arrow Electronics Eesti, ETS Nord, Shaperize, Airborne Mechatronics, Horisont, and Norma.

The supporters of Robotex 2015 are: Balsnack, Merinvest, Elme Messer Gaas, OSHINO Electronics Estonia, Rantelon, Energias??st.ee, Koopia Niini & Rauam, Auto Metall EST, Zelluloosi Spordiklubi, eKool, Energia Avastuskeskus, Red Bull, I&T Metall, E-Service, Tere, Zoo Seikluspark, Vendomar, PrintStart, Skypark, Academic Hostel, Atemix T??stus-automaatika, Eesti M??blitootjate Liit, Eliko, Rekato, Siidiussi, Iconprint, Nortal, ?rip?ev, Saku L?te, and Tehnoturg.

Last year’s Robotex hosted a total of 882 robot builders with 367 robots, who competed in 12 contests. A majority of robot builders came from Estonia, however, there were competitors also from Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Russia, Iran, and Peru. The number of spectators reached a total of 11,000 over the two competition days.

Additional information: www.robotex.ee