The TIC of Birmingham to host international Micro-Robotics Competition

Published:2011/7/20 1:06:00 Author:Li xiao na From:SeekIC

The Event Administrator, Rita Kerry

The micro-robotics competition known as MICROMOUSE 2004 is to be hosted by the Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) at Birmingham’s prestigious Millennium Point on Saturday, 19th of June 2004.

MICROMOUSE 2004 is the latest event in the world’s longest running robotics competition. Originated in the UK by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), it has run for more than 20 years and has been held most recently at Royal Holloway College, University of London.

The event consists of races against the clock between microprocessor controlled robotic ’mice’ programmed to search and solve complex mazes. The fastest ’micro-mouse’ wins.

There are several technical standards in the competition, with senior and junior categories. This enables individuals and organizations at different levels of technical skill to enter. Individuals, clubs, companies, schools, colleges and universities have all competed in past competitions.

The design and construction of these robotic mice is often an element in final year projects for undergraduates studying robotics, electronic engineering and computer science. This type of robotics competition is also popular in countries such as the USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. The many UK entrants can expect to be challenged by overseas competitors at the TIC event. The adoption of the University of Central England (UCE)’s TIC as venue for MICROMOUSE 2004 reflects its growing reputation as a leading UK university faculty of technology. The contest will be overseen by Professor Martin Smith who recently joined the Robotics Group at the tic.

Martin has been at the forefront of the popularization of robotics which excites young people’s interest in science and engineering as a career. A regular judge on the BBC’s Robot Wars and technical presenter for Techno Games, Martin has supported the MICRO-MOUSE competition in the UK for more than ten years during which the event has become a challenge attracting international interest.

His co-supervisor is Dr Tony Wilcox, who has not only developed the micro-mouse as a major teaching aid, but also expects to see several nc students competing in MICRO-MOUSE 2004.

Having developed the TIC micro-mouse platform and integrated this into the engineering curriculum, Dr Wilcox says: "It will be exciting to see our micro-mice, developed primarily for teaching at tic, compete against the best in the world at a major event hosted by tic. There will be both staff and student entries. It is attracting a lot of interest."

Professor Keith Osman, head of Automatic Identification and Intelligent Systems at tic, says: "I’m delighted we have attracted MICROMOUSE 2004 to the tic. Mobile robotics presents an attractive aspect of engineering and technology and excites many people. It also offers tremendous opportunities for involving young people in schools, colleges and universities in technology. Its importance is recognized by governments around the world and is integral to the educational curriculum in the USA.. We are seeking to raise the profile of this important discipline in the UK "

The reigning British Micro-mouse champion is local man Dave Woodfield of Bloxwich near Walsall. He will be pitched head-to-head with World Champion, Dave Otten from the USA at MICRO-MOUSE 2004 which will be held in the think tank theatre at Millennium Point.

Full details of the day-long event and how to enter are being sent to potential entrants. Members of the public will have the opportunity of applying for free tickets to view the event.

About tic,

UCE and Millennium Point
Less than four years after its creation by the University of Central England (UCE) Birmingham’s Technology Innovation Centre (the tic) has been rated as one of the country’s top ten engineering faculties by the Guardian’s 2003 University Guide.

The Guardian League Table for General Engineering shows the TIC at number nine, grouped with Strathclyde, Cambridge, Oxford, Westmin-ster, Warwick, Loughborough, Durham, Brunei and Exeter. The Tic score in the table is the highest possible for value-added which measures the success of the TIC in helping students with lower entry qualifications to achieve good degrees. The table can be viewed at

http://education.guardian.co. uk/higher/unitable/0,,-
4664351,00.htrnl

The Technology Innovation Centre (the tic) is a national centre of excellence for technology-based Lifelong Learning and Business Solutions, with Specialist Technologies, for individuals and for businesses. It provides cutting-edge resources and specialized knowledge structures to meet the needs of a rapidly developing technology-based society. The TIC is a significant initiative in the UK through which business development services and advanced technologies are made both accessible and affordable to companies of every size and type, whilst benefiting from and being rooted in a lifelong learning organization, the University of Central England (UCE).

England’s largest Millennium project outside London, Millennium Point cost £114 mil-lion, including £50 million of Millennium Commission lottery funding and £25.6 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

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