over 100 children and young people took part in the "World Robot Olympiad" on the Zug-Rotkreuz campus of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts on Saturday. With their self-constructed robots, they presented their ideas of the robotics of tomorrow. The competition is an important instrument for promoting young talent in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Visitors to the Zug-Rotkreuz campus of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts on Saturday saw children and young people in the grip of technology fever. Highly concentrated, patient and with visible enthusiasm, they worked on their self-built mini robots made of Lego. These robots had to solve tricky tasks on tables: Picking up Lego objects with gripper arms, following exact lines and transporting their cargo from A to B with pinpoint accuracy. In the imagination of the participants, of course, these were not simple Lego bricks, but space junk. Because the central question at this year’s World Robot Olympiad (WRO) was: "What tasks can robots take on in the future?" The removal of waste in space was just one of many conceivable visions of the future - the colonization of Mars was another.
’I can imagine robots being used in restaurants,’ said Sina Heller (12) from Ettiswil from Team WVH. Her team colleague Leon Wüest is enthusiastic about robots being able to solve tasks without any human help. He is therefore convinced: ’I believe that we will see robots everywhere in the future.
Sina Heller and Leon Wüest were two of over 100 children and young people from all over Switzerland who took part in the largest Swiss regional competition of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) under this year’s motto ’The Future of Robots’ in Rotkreuz.
Learning through setbacks and team spirit
The WRO offers young talents a platform to develop innovative solutions, exchange ideas with like-minded people and help shape the technology of tomorrow. ’What makes the WRO special for me is the focus on methodical skills and team spirit,’ emphasizes Roland Christen, lecturer at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and main organizer of the competition. ’The young people learn to endure setbacks, motivate each other and learn from mistakes. The best stories are often those in which not everything goes smoothly - but the team finds a solution together,’ says Christen.
The 51 teams were made up of children and young people aged between 6 and 19. They competed in four age categories - from the Starters (6-10 years) to the Senior category (14-19 years). For many, it was the first competition of its kind, while others already have experience at national or even international level. But for all of them, one thing was paramount: the enthusiasm for technology - and the joy of tinkering together.
Robot course as a challenge
The challenges were demanding: the teams had to construct a robot that could master defined tasks within a short space of time - such as recognizing obstacles, transporting objects or automatically controlling complex processes. This required not only technical knowledge, but also communication, improvisation and team organization. ’Dealing with the unpredictable is particularly important in robotics. Even if everything goes perfectly during preparation, something can go wrong at the crucial moment. How the teams then react with resilience and creativity is impressive and very instructive,’ says Christen.
HSLU as a MINT driver in Central Switzerland
The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts sees the WRO as an important instrument for promoting young talent in the STEM fields (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology). Robotics is a particularly accessible introduction to technical issues. It combines computer science, technology and mathematics in a playful and tangible way. The regional competition in Rotkreuz - organized by Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in collaboration with Roche Diagnostics International AG - is part of a global network: the WRO takes place in over 95 countries, with more than 24,500 teams taking part each year. Winning teams from the regional competition qualify for the national competition in Hausen AG, where they can in turn qualify for the international final in Singapore. ’The WRO brings young people together - across national borders, languages and cultures,’ says Christen. With its international focus, the WRO has considerable appeal and helps to get young people excited about technology and innovation.
The winning teams
At the regional competition in Rotkreuz, the following teams placed in the top ranks:
1. MindStürmer 2. kszCodeFusion 3. kszNinjas
1. Starlight 2nd WVH 3rd RoboBoys
1. Snowball 2. program gangsters
3. K Team
1. Robocops 2. pushy pushy 3. lego master
1. overclocked.
2. Robonaut 3rd Nature Wildcats
These teams have the chance to qualify for the national final on June 21 in Hausen AG - the overall score compared with the winning teams from the other regional competitions is decisive. The best teams will represent Switzerland in the international final in Singapore in November.
Further information at: wro2025.org
