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Students compete in brain games in Kelowna

The Western Canada RoboCup Junior Games kicked off in Kelowna on Friday. Kelby Deleat

KELOWNA – Some students in Kelowna are using all their brain power to solve problems. However, it’s not for exams, it’s for the ninth annual Western Canada RoboCup Junior Games. The internationally accredited educational competition includes teams of students ranging from Grade five to Grade 12 working together to develop solutions to one of two specific challenges using robots.

Organizers say students, who have come to Kelowna from around the province, are expected to find solutions to challenges relating to soccer and rescue using the robots.

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“In soccer, two autonomous mobile robots track a special light-emitting ball in an enclosed field and attempt to score goals,” says Christine Ulmer with Okanagan College, where the event is being hosted.

The competitions kicked off on Friday morning.

“In rescue, robots follow a course, negotiate uneven terrain and identify victims within re-created disaster scenarios,” says Ulmer.

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She adds the top three winners in each category qualify to compete in the World RoboCup held in Hufei, China in July 2015.

She says 34 teams from eight schools throughout the province have entered the competition this year.

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