Day two of preparations for the WorldSkills 2015 competition in São Paulo, Brazil is ongoing. Students were not allowed in the robotics arena today, however many of them spent yesterday evening working on their robot designs until 8:30 p.m. (UTC). More than 23 experts from different countries were charged with setting up the evaluation space where robots will be competing in Mobile Robotics.

The WorldSkills representatives also spent several hours reviewing the competition details with the teams. Tomorrow, August 12, marks the first day of competition in this event. The arena will be open to participants in the Mobile Robotics Competition at 8:30 a.m. (UTC). At this time, the teams will be allowed to make last minute changes before the competition kicks off later in the afternoon. As the official sponsor, Studica is assisting teams technically. We are on-hand with spare parts for any component that may require replacing, and offer support for controllers, sensors and software.

Mobile Robotics Teams from Around the World  

The WorldSkills Mobile Robotics Competition includes 23 teams from around the world. The teams participating include representatives from: Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Columbia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Macao, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

As the pressure mounts in these beginning stages, it is clear that everyone is working very hard towards a successful WorldSkills event – especially the host country, Brazil. The Mobile Robotics Competition is a very large event that takes place alongside other WorldSkills competitions. Thousands of organizers are ensuring that everything runs smoothly. WorldSkills is often referred to as the “Olympics of skills competitions,” and for many competitors it is a chance to represent their countries in a very different light.

WorldSkills Competitors Exhibit Knowledge

While many WorldSkills events test participants for speed, the competitions focus on skill and knowledge of a given subject. No matter who comes in first, second or third, all competitors are winners as they represent the best from around the world and gain valuable experience in their respective fields.

The WorldSkills Mobile Robotics Competition will require robots to perform a real world task as requested from a fictional customer, which was demonstrated earlier this year in the Visitor’s Presentation video. Using a National Instruments myRIO Controller with LabVIEW software, the teams’ robot must work autonomously to fulfill tasks common in manufacturing settings, such as a factory or warehouse floor. While there may not be any joysticks or robots fighting each other, the event is very exciting and an incredible experience for participants and onlookers alike.

Stay tuned for more coverage of WorldSkills 2015 Competition! Studica is proud to support the WorldSkills organization, and we’ll keep you posted on the results as they roll in. Students, teachers, hobbyists and more can prepare for WorldSkills 2017 or simply bring the competition to their classrooms by purchasing components used in this year’s competition. Check out Studica’s WorldSkills Mobile Robotics Collection.