Nearly 4.000 people including teachers, students, organizers and the general public have filled the Fernando Martín Pavilion in the town of Fuenlabrada this Thursday. Since early in the morning, almost 60 institutes from the Community of Madrid have participated in the championship called 'Robocampeones'.

More than 2.000 young people have participated by presenting up to 500 robots to the competition. Most of them have been developing these robots for about a year, and using all their free time to fine-tune them.

The tournament is divided into two different tests. On the one hand, the participants have been able to present their work to the individual test, in which they have explained to the attendees the operation of their devices. On the other hand, Japanese team sumo wrestling tournaments have been developed.

The initiative was born in 2003 by the Rey Juan Carlos University. For just three years, technology teachers from Madrid schools and institutes have been associated to continue celebrating the tournament. According to them, this event is "an extra motivation" for their students. For one day, students and teachers change roles and it is the young people who explain how they have prepared their work to the rest of the attendees.

The President of the 'Robocampeones' Association, Víctor Gallego, explained that “the event aims to achieve an increase in scientific-technical vocations”. At the same time, he has said, "students have been working on technology and related subjects without realizing how much they have learned along the way." Gallego has assured that "there have been many cases of boys and girls who have continued with their training in this field after specializing technologically".

With this maxim, URJC volunteers have collaborated in the organization and development of the tests. Starting next academic year, the University will have in its academic offer the new Degree in Robotics to cover the needs of these young promises.