IIT Delhi’s tech innovation hub to organise ‘Robotics for Good Youth Challenge’

IHFC, the technology innovation hub of IIT Delhi, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have joined hands to organise Robotics for Good, a UN-based educational robotics championship, for the first time in India in October this year.

IHFC has been appointed as the national organiser in India for the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge 2024-2025, a global initiative of the ITU, as part of AI for Good, the leading action-oriented, global, and inclusive United Nations (UN) platform on artificial intelligence (AI). ITU is the UN’s specialised agency for information and communication technologies.

The challenge highlights robots that offer practical solutions to promote the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants design, build, and programme a robot that completes a mission based on one of these goals. The focus is on ‘Robotics for Good’, emphasising addressing natural disasters like earthquakes, seismic risk prediction, and soil and subsurface studies. The primary objective is to enable swift intervention during disasters to effectively minimize their impact. It is designed for two age groups: Junior (classes 6-8) and senior (classes 9-12).

IHFC is the key enabler for this event and will organise the India Qualifying Tournament for this challenge, which is to be held on October 17, 2024, at the International Exhibition Convention Centre, Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi. This is essentially a qualifying tournament leading to the Grand Finale in Geneva during the AI for Good Global Summit 2025.