Local and international teams face off at RoboCup Iran Open

At least 24 teams from 11 countries, including Germany, Turkey, China, Singapore and South Korea, have competed with local teams for the 2018 robotics football cup in Tehran, Iran.
The 13th RoboCup Iran Open included a number of robotic football leagues, as well as teams focused on rescue and de-mining simulations, home applications and unmanned aerial vehicle operation.
A team from Leipzig University of Applied Sciences won in the football standard league championship, while a team from Iran's Qazvin Islamic Azad University won the overall trophy by winning in seven categories.
RoboCup is an international research and education initiative that researches artificial intelligence and its utility for future applications while fostering interest among young students in robotics.
At the opening of the event last week, Sourena Sattari, Iran's vice president for science and technology, called for an overhaul in policy to help young robotics experts find jobs and outlets for their work.
"The policies in the field of industry should be changed so that more robotic systems created by the young generation to be used in industry," he said.

A team from Leipzig University of Applied Sciences won in the football standard league championship Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

A team from Iran's Qazvin Islamic Azad University won the overall trophy by winning in seven categories. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

At least 24 teams from eleven countries, including Germany, Turkey, China, Singapore and South Korea, competed in the RoboCup Open this year. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

Several female robotics students competed toe-to-toe with their male counterparts. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

The 13th RoboCup Iran Open also included teams competing in rescue and de-mining simulations. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

A junior category also enabled younger robotics enthusiast to join in the competition. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

RoboCup is an international research and education initiative that seeks to develop interest in robotics among young students. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

Qazvin Islamic Azad University said local winners would be eventually employed by the university. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

Sourena Sattari, Iran's vice president for science and technology, called for an overhaul in government policy to help young robotics experts find jobs and outlets for their work. Mohammad Ali Najib/Al Jazeera

RoboCup 2018 concluded on Saturday