BRAZIL: Robots wrestle in an annual sumo competition held at a technology engineering university

Record ID: 401669

  • Title: BRAZIL: Robots wrestle in an annual sumo competition held at a technology engineering university
  • Date: 27th May 2011
  • Summary: BOY WATCHING FIGHT
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil, Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Science / Technology,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAAURYS9N5A8V28WD56JPRSFXGT
  • Story Text: Side by side the fighters lined up next to the wrestling ring in front of their coaches. But instead of getting water and a back rub, they received an electric charge and some last-minute touches.
    This is no normal wrestling match -- the contenders are diminutive robots built and controlled by the students of a university in Brazil's business capital Sao Paulo to mark the International Geek Pride Day on Wednesday, May 25.
    The second edition of the annual Robot Sumo Championship drew seven "fighters" and over one hundred tech fans to the bleachers of the university's gym.
    The event looked and sounded more like a boxing match than part of a science fair as spectators huddled around the fighting ring, hooting for their favorite gladiator.
    The robot sumo wrestlers follow rules similar to those of the traditional sport. The goal is to push the opponent out of the circular ring, or flip them over.
    The competition's organizer, professor Mario Guerra said they had chosen to follow sumo wrestling rules to avoid destroying the robots.
    "This is a non-destructive competition where the robots are not destroyed such as in other championships. This is a competition that involves strategy, strength and tactics; so this is what encouraged us to choose this modality," he said.
    But these wrestlers are smaller and more compact than their human counterparts: no more than 8 inches high and no heavier than 7.7 pounds compared with the 495 pounds for the average sumo wrestler.
    The night's big champion was a robot named Mad Max, who faced the fierce Lion in the finals after all other opponents were eliminated in previous three-round fights.
    Rafael Ribeiro, captain of the winning team, said their robot only reached its full force by the last fight.
    "We were having trouble with the batteries and had to charge it little by little during the breaks between the fights. As it gained more battery charge it also started increasing its power and we got to full power at the end. I thank my teammates for allowing me do the final round. I'm very happy; I'm speechless," he said.
    Besides medals, the first and second places were also awarded a robotics course at Brazil's best tech engineering institute.
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