Press Release

Victory for at ABU Robocon 2011 ～ ABU Robocon Award to University of ～

TOKYO, 28th August 2011

19 teams of students from 18 countries and regions competed at the ABU -Pacific Robot Contest (ABU Robocon) in , Thailand, on Sunday, 28th August.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of ABU Robocon, and the venue was filled with cheering viewers and excitement as feverish as the Bangkok heat. Two universities from Thailand, which was given two representatives as a host country, made way to the final.

After a heated contest, Dhurakijpundit University, which excelled in technique and accuracy, beat Kampaengphet Technical College and won the Grand Prix. Dhurakijpundit University was presented with the award and a trophy.

The represented in Robocon for the third time. Although beaten by Dhurakijpundit University in the Quarter Final round, University of Tokyo was given the ABU Robocon Award, top honors commending preeminent ideas, originality, creativity and technology.

ABU Robocon will be held in next year. NHK will broadcast a program “NHK Robocon 2011 Bangkok” (Working title) on its terrestrial channel (General TV) from 14:00 to 14:59 on 19th September.

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Notes to editors

＜ABU Robocon＞ This contest started in 2002 at the instigation of NHK in order to cultivate young engineers and promote international friendship between the countries as well as to enhance quality of program production in Asia-Pacific region.

＜Rules of ABU Robocon 2011＞ This year’s theme was “Loy Krathong, Lighting Happiness with Friendship” in honor of a traditional festival in Thailand, Loy Krathon. Robots competed on the time to assemble a lantern (Krathong), carrying it on a river surface made of a moving wooden board, and placed a lit candle on the top of Krathong. Two teams competed against each other in given three minutes, and the first team to successfully bring the candle to the top of Krathong was the winner.

＜Past contests＞ Year Host city, Country Winner／Country

2002 Tokyo, Japan Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology,

Sawangdandin Industrial and Community Education 2003 Bangkok, Thailand College, Thailand

2004 , Korea Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam

2005 , The University of Tokyo, Japan

2006 , Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam

2007 , Vietnam Xi’an Jiatong University, China

2008 Pune, Xi’an Jiatong University, China

2009 Tokyo, Japan Harbin Institute of Technology, China

University of Electronic Science and Technology 2010 , of China, China

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＜ ＞ List of Participants for ABU Robocon 2011 Bangkok Country/Region University Name

1 Brunei Darussalam Universiti Brunei Darussalam

2 China Huazhong University of Science and Technology

3 Egypt The Higher Technological Institute, 10th of Ramadan City

4 The University of the South Pacific

5 Hong Kong The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

6 India Nirma Institute of Technology

7 Batam Polytechnic

8 Japan The University of Tokyo

9 Laos Soutsaka College of Management and Technology

10 Malaysia Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

11 Mongolian University of Science and Technology

12 Nepal Tribhuvan University (IOE)

13 Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in

14 Russia Saratov State Technical University

15 Sri Lanka University of Peradeniya

16 Turkey Gazi University

Dhurakijpundit University 17 Thailand Kamphaengphet Technical College

18 Vietnam Lac Hong University

※ 19 teams from 18 countries/regions participated in the contest (Two teams from the host nation).

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