ASPIRE, the technology programme management pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), has officially assumed responsibility of managing the prestigious Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC), one of the world’s largest and most prestigious AI and robotics competitions in its class, from the upcoming third edition in 2023. The biennial international robotics competition is set to kick off with the MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge which seeks to push technological boundaries in infrastructure-less, integrated marine-aerial surveillance scenarios and will include two principal tasks: inspection and intervention. The third edition of MBZIRC will be based on autonomous aerial and ground robots carrying out navigation and manipulation tasks, in unstructured outdoor and indoor environments.
The decision to manage the Challenge aligns with the commitment of ATRC and ASPIRE to build the UAE’s human capital and skillsets in emerging technology areas, especially robotics, a field that has gripped the imagination of many of the UAE’s young people. ASPIRE has started designing several grand challenges and international competitions in the advanced technology domain to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues, in line with its efforts to build Abu Dhabi’s research and programme management credentials.
The inaugural MBZIRC took place at the YAS Marina Circuit in the UAE capital in March 2017, and the second edition ran at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in February 2020. The two events were landmark achievements, and attracted multiple strong teams from four continents, competing in challenges designed to push the limits of real-world robotics.
Key dates
- 01 Oct, 2021 - 31 Jan, 2022White Paper Phase
- Oct 2022Simulation Phase
- Oct 2023Demonstration Phase