China to Hold Robot Olympics

Combat, dancing, and, uh, 'domestic service'

The first ever robot Olympics is to be held next year in Harbin, China.

More than 100 universities from around the globe will be competing in 16 events over five categories, including track and field, combat, dancing, ball skills, and the slightly less glamorous domestic service.

Robots must conform to the “Threepio” mould – two arms, two legs – in order to enter the games, unlike some other robot competitions which allow wheels or tracks. The aim of the event is to encourage robot designers to make their creations smart enough to serve people in their homes, according to news agency Xinhua.

Harbin’s Institute of Technology will host the games, the dates of which are still being finalised. HIT’s robot football team has won a number of international tournaments and the institute even has its own robot team training centre, likely to be a core venue for next year’s events.