National Instruments (NI) and World Robot Olympiad (WRO) are working together as sponsors for a collegiate-level competition that aims to drive innovation in students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The advanced Mars Colony-themed pilot competition, based on NI LabVIEW system design software for students age 17 and up, will be take place at this year's WRO world championship in Jakarta, Indonesia, Nov. 15-17.
The competition was created in 2005, using NI technology via LEGO MINDSTORMS to give students advanced programming tools that professional engineers use.
"NI shares our belief that the best way to inspire students to pursue careers in science and engineering is to encourage them with fun, hands-on experiences," said Johnson Jan, WRO chairman of the board. "The new collegiate-level competition at WRO engages students using real-world robotics platforms powered by LabVIEW to teach engineering fundamentals and creative problem solving skills."
The competition is currently a pilot for 2013 and will become an official part of the global competition in 2014 once it is available to all WRO member countries.
