Peru's San Pablo de Arequipa Catholic University (UCSP) robotics club members will compete at the 2017 Robocup, the world's leading robotics and artificial intelligence contests taking place in Nagoya (Japan) through August 1.
"We are very happy to have been able to raise the funds to go to Japan and represent Peru in the
robotics competitions," said Dennis Barrios, director of UCSP's Robotics and Computer Vision Lab (Larvic).
The systems engineer expressed optimism given participants' preparation, both within the club and competing at larger-scale Latin American events.
"Robotics has proved highly useful in terms of bringing youth closer to technology," he noted.
Peruvian students will compete in three categories: Rescue Junior, Soccer Junior and Rescue Simulation Agents.
The Rescue Junior team is composed of Carlos Daniel Corrales, Rodrigo Alvarez and Santiago Thadeo Alvarez Torres, whose robot will have to overcome a set of obstacles to rescue a victim.
The Soccer Junior team gathers Sebastian Moscoso, Aaron Pereyra, Pedro Figueroa, Guido Luis Tapia and instructor Victor Cornejo Arismendi.
They have assembled 2 autonomous robots with embedded cameras using computer vision principles so that the devices can move independently and play soccer.
Lastly, the senior team comprises UCSP graduates Liz Sandra Bernedo, Maria Fernanda Tejada and Kevin Rodriguez.
Unlike the other tests, their challenge will consist in developing computer-based strategies to carry out rescue operations in a major disaster scenario.
Robocup 2017 also includes an interdisciplinary symposium: academic and scientific activities that will prove a major opportunity for Peruvian talents to network and gain further knowledge of the field.
(END) NDP/MAO/DHT/MVB