500 students competing in 8th Arab Open Robotics Championship

DEAD SEA – Eiman, a 15-year-old Omani student, believes robots are becoming an important part of people’s lives.   

“We live in a modern age full of technological advancements used to provide services such as health, education and assisted living,” she told The Jordan Times. 

Eiman, who only gave her first name, is taking part the eighth Arab Open Robotics Championship, held at the Dead Sea. 

She presented a robot that is able to throw a ball, open a door and hold bags. 

The Omani student is among 500 students from several Arab countries taking part in the two-day robotics competition, hosted by the Jubilee Centre for Excellence in Education (JCEE). 

The competition, held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, is organised in collaboration with the Arab Robotics Association and is sponsored by King Abdullah II Fund for Development, King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau and Booz Allen Hamilton.

HRH Prince Hamzah attended the opening ceremony and had a look at some of the projects designed by the students.

JCEE Director Ismail Hasan said the contest, which opened on Saturday, focuses on the science of robotics and presents it to students in an entertaining way. 

“The teams compete with each other for two days in designing and programming robots that are capable of performing specific tasks in accordance with criteria set by the Arab Robotics Association (ARA),” added Hasan, who is also the head of the ARA. 

A total of 91 teams from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and Oman are taking part in the event. 

“The contest helps hone students’ skills that can benefit their future. Our students consume technology in a great way and these events help them learn how some of that technology operates,” Hasan noted.

Sixteen teams from Jordan, comprising 160 students between the ages of 9 and 25, are taking part in the contest. 

The JCEE director said the science of robotics has become part of every home and factory, and Jordan needs people who not only watch or implement this kind of technology, but can also invent it. 

Jordanian student Yahia Obeido spent six months designing his robot, working daily and even during holidays.

“Our robot has to perform several tasks in two minutes during the contest, and the more it does, the more points I receive. His tasks include pushing items and moving other items from one point to another,” the 14-year-old added.

He said students like him who are interested in this kind of technology can benefit greatly from taking part in this competition and coming up with useful projects. 

“Science is the basis of building civilisations and there are many countries that are much better because they hugely depend on science. We have smart and talented people.”  

Nabih Maroun, senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, said such contests are important for young people in the Middle East amidst the instability the region is experiencing.  

“Such competitions give hope for a better and brighter future and put the Middle East on the global stage. We have so many examples of children doing teamwork and showing leadership skills... so any of these teams can do well on the global stage,” he added. 

Eiman said such competitions can boost the use of science in daily life and push students to be smarter and more creative.

“I like the world of robotics and I hope that I will be a surgeon when I grow up, with a robot by my side helping me operate on patients,” she said with a smile.