SFU’s School of Mechatronics at the Surrey Campus hosted the inaugural FIRA RoboWorld Cup Canada Open Competition on May 18 and 19, 2024, celebrating diversity in robotics with competitions for various age groups and expertise levels. Participants, from children under 10 to university students, competed in four categories that tested their engineering and programming skills. The event showcased autonomous vehicles, flying robots for urban and disaster scenarios, and the FIRA Sports league, which combined athleticism with robotics technology. New leagues, AI Arts and Smart Home, were also introduced.

Three teams from SFU participated, with one team from SFU’s Robotics Club, led by MSE student Ahmed Badway, winning third place in the autonomous race car category. The hybrid event allowed both online and in-person participation, highlighting the robotics community's adaptability. 

The competition concluded with an awards ceremony, and the top three teams will represent Canada at the FIRA RoboWorld Cup Final in Brazil in August. Stephen Dooley, executive director of SFU's Surrey campus, emphasized the importance of such events in showcasing community vibrance and cutting-edge innovation. SFU's commitment to technological advancement and education is reinforced through events like the FIRA RoboWorld Cup, which inspire and nurture the next generation of engineers and innovators.

Read More: https://www.sfu.ca/surrey/news-and-events/news-all/events/2024-FIRA-Canada-RoboWorld-Cup.html