The first edition of ‘The Big Challenge’, in which robots built by students from Mcast, Savio College, the University of Malta and Middlesex University’s Malta campus will compete in an obstacle course at the 2017 Malta Robotics Olympiad, which will take place at the MFCC, Ta’ Qali, on March 24 and 25.

“‘The Big Challenge’ should show how advanced Malta is in this sector and also prove to be great entertainment for the public as they watch the participants’ robots tackling steps, slopes, water and uneven terrain to complete the course,” said James Catania, education officer, computing and ICT at the Education Ministry, which is organising the Olympiad.

“The event brings young people together to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills through educational robotics challenges,” he said, adding that it will also feature a wide range of hands-on activities for schoolchildren and their families, and a real life, movie-scale Wall-E robot.

The event will also feature a real life, movie-scale Wall-E robot

Catania said organising an event on this scale was obviously a challenge and he expressed the ministry’s thanks to GO’s recently launched ‘GO for the future’ for its support.

GO senior manager, marketing, Daniela Bagnaschi said: “Through ‘GO for the future’, we have committed to invest an initial €80,000 in projects to encourage children to read and become interested in science. Robotics is an area that can really spark off their imagination, and it’s also a sector that’s becoming ever more prevalent in our daily lives.

“It is vital that we invest in giving children the desire and the skills to make the most of their future.

“In this context, ‘GO for the future’ and the Malta Robotics Olympiad are a perfect partnership.”

For more information on the Olympiad visit the Facebook page below.

www.facebook.com/MaltaRoboticsOlympiad/?fref=ts