RoboCup Tour: Amidst the Robots

27 Jun, 2013

Besides all the elements of show and games, RoboCup is a great opportunity to introduce robotics into the outside world. During the event, there are several organised tours for school pupils at the Major League.

The children are enthusiastic and very impressed by everything they see here. The soccer robots, big or small and with or without a human appearance, are of course a big part of the tour, but the home care robots, rescue robots and simulated robots on the computer are regarded with great interest as well. Especially the small humanoid soccer robots are considered fun to watch. The kids are also aware of the serious side of the business: “the robots are expensive!”

Further in the tour, the children meet a fierce-looking robot playing the bass guitar, leaving them all awestruck. The kids also get to make their own ‘fanbot’, a small robot which they can program themselves and which will be placed next to the soccer field and support the players during matches.

All in all, it is clear that robotics is not only for scientists, but it also attracts children of all ages. Aside from the tours, even the smallest can interact with robots; they can stroke and feed the so-called Pleos (small dinosaur-like robots) on the Robot Playground. The RoboCup event is accessible for everyone!