Online robotic championship for students to raise awareness about Covid-19

UAE-based start-up Junkbot has launched an online robotic championship to spread awareness amongst students about Covid-19 and help them join the global fight against the deadly virus. The initiative aims to encourage young minds to build robotic/STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) projects.

Children above 10 years of age can enrol for this competition. The registration is slated to close on May 15.

Ehteshamuddin PA, co-founder and Chief Executive, Junkbot, told BusinessLine that the company has so far received 105 registrations from Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, India and a few from Europe as well.

DIY kit

“We will be delivering a “do-it-yourself” robotic hardware kit to each of the enrolled candidates, apart from giving them access to 10 video lessons, using which they will be able to learn the steps to build the project. We have tied up with a courier company in the UAE for delivery of the hardware kits at the doorstep of the enrolled students across geographies.”

“Participants will be given ample time (almost two months) for submission of the project. They can upload their videos online and the best project stands a chance to win AED 5,000,” he said.

The company, he said, helps students make robots and gadgets from almost anything, not provide them plug and play component in a box but recycle stuff such as bottles, CDs, wooden spoons or cardboard to make the bot and gadgets.

As students create new shapes, they learn the core STEAM concepts of analytical thinking, problem solving, prototyping, lateral thinking and building, he said.

The robotic kit manufacturing company has, since inception in 2015, sold its products to around 500 schools and generated revenue of $1.5 million.