With just under two months until the UK city of Milton Keynes hosts the MK Smart City Robotics Competition, the number of teams in competition has grown to 14, with 76 team members currently participating.
The MK Smart City Robotics Competition comprises teams from universities, colleges, companies and laboratories across Europe. The teams will be showcasing how their robots can solve a range of challenges designed to support everyday life. The event will take place 18-21 September in a public setting in a square at the Centre: MK, a large shopping mall in the centre of Milton Keynes, a city of a quarter of million people which lies 80 km north west of London. Milton Keynes, or MK as it is known locally, is no stranger to robotics competitions. It hosted a Smart City event under the SciRoc project in 2019. MK residents are also fairly comfortable with robots, too, as they have become accustomed to the sight of Starship food delivery robots on MK streets.
The competing teams will tackle one or more of five scenarios or ‘Episodes’, completing everyday tasks that are routine for humans but complex for robots. A succinct description of the task to be completed is reflected in the title of each episode: Episode 1 – Deliver coffee shop orders, Episode 2 – Through the Door, Episode 3 – Take the elevator, Episode 4 – Shopping pick and pack, Episode 5 – Socially Acceptable Item Delivery.
Supported by a range of public, academic and commercial partners including Milton Keynes Council, centre:mk, Ocado, Cranfield University and University of Buckingham, with more supporters to be announced soon.
Teams wishing to enter should visit the ERL website for further information on the episodes and can use this form to express their interest. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact: ian.pulford@smccl.co.uk