UAE: Learn how to programme a robot at SIBF 2022

Battle lines were drawn in Hall 7 of the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair as the Sumo Robot Workshop took place. Combining learning with competition, the workshop taught attendees how to create robots using Lego pieces, connect them with coded sensors, take their ‘Sumo' models into the ring, and see who emerges as ‘Yokozuna, the grand champion.’

With a focus on coding and building, the one-hour workshop targeting teens and adults is as much about building robots as it is about teaching the participants how to programme them. To make their robots stronger, each team must programme the main processor, the sensor and the motors.

“There is a black line on the corner of the table; participants need to add a colour sensor so whenever the robot sees the colour black, it should turn to avoid falling from the table", says Yazan Dardas, Computer Engineer, Fun Robotics. "The robots also need to attack the other robots; that’s the goal. The robot that falls will lose the game."

“The more complex the programming, the stronger the robot. And there is only that one wins the game,” Yazan said, adding, “It’s not really a competition, but it is a lot of fun.”

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