OREANDA-NEWS. December 10, 2015.  Robotex, that ended in Tallinn grabbed the position of Europe’s largest robot competition, sending a total of 530 robots into the competition over three days. Robotex, which was held in TUT’s sports building also crushed the audience record with nearly 14 000 spectators.

14 robot builders from 15 countries with a total of 657 robots registered for Robotex, however somewhat less actually showed up. Some were also excluded in the technical inspection, where the compliance of each registered robot with the terms of the competition was checked.

According to the project manager of Robotex 2015 and a doctoral student of TUT’s faculty of mechanical engineering Marti Arak a total of 530 robots battled in 17 events. “This means that Robotex is now Europe’s largest robot competition, as 491 robots passed the technical inspection and were allowed to compete at the robot competition RobotChallenge held in Vienna, Austria in March,” Arak said. “Robotex crushed all of the current “personal” records, the greatest example of which is the number of the audience, which grew to a total of about 14 000 over three days. I thank all the competitors, spectators, organisers and supporters, who helped out with Robotex becoming a reality!”

About a third of the robot builders that participated in Robotex came from across the border. The most foreign competitors came from Latvia (73), followed by Lithuania (58), Russia (11) and Poland (7). Robot builders also came to Robotex from Belarus, Columbia, Algeria, Finland, Sweden, Greece, India, Nigeria, Turkey and Ukraine. The largest participation was in the LEGO sumo competition, where 153 robots stepped onto the competition stage.

There were 132 schools, robot clubs and institutions from Estonia as well as abroad at Robotex with their robots. „The title of the most active school and its prize, a 3D printer, was won by the Rakke Gymnasium from L??ne-Viru County, from where a total of 29 robots made it to the competition,“ said the project manager of Robotex Marti Arak. „With this the school pupils also beat TUT and the University of Tartu, from where a few less robots came to compete.“

At the 15th Robotex in line the robots competed in a total of 17 events, in three of those for the first time in Estonia. The Technology exhibition was however also open during the competition, where more than 100 new high-technology devices from newly developed innovative prototypes to working robotics solutions were seen. Four creative competitions were organised for children and young people as part of Robotex and 24 different robotics workshops from crafting robot bugs meant for kindergarten children to programming and creating mobile apps suitable for secondary school students.

Robotex 2015 photo gallery 
Author: Edmond M?ll

Robotex was 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.

Additional information: www.robotex.ee