Robots to test the mettle of Mehrtens

Legendary All Black and NZ2011 Ambassador Andrew Mehrtens has accepted the challenge to face off against robots in a man versus machine rugby kick off on Auckland’s Victoria Park on 10 October this year.

Mehrtens’ mettle will be severely tested as he takes on the mechanical precision of three specially designed pneumatically-powered life-size aluminium legs.

The pressure is on the engineering teams that are designing and building the robot legs that will take on the man that until recently held the title of all-time leading point scorer for the All Blacks.

The three robotic kickers have been designed and built by teams at the University of Canterbury and Massey University’s Albany and Palmerston North campuses with the generous support of pneumatics company SMC and NZICT.

The competition will precede the inaugural Schools Robotics World Cup, which will be held in The Cloud during October 11-13 on Auckland’s Queen’s Wharf.

Both competitions are part of the Rutherford Innovation Showcase, which will exemplify New Zealand’s ICT and Hi-Tech industries through a series of events during September and October.

The Robotics World Cup will be a three-day competition between teams from Europe, South America, North America, Australia and of course, New Zealand.

The rules of this competition were announced in April. Since then teams have been planning, designing and building their robots in preparation.

Admission to all events is free. Registration is essential.

Please note that an image of the robot leg can be supplied on request.

The Rutherford Innovation Showcase events:

• Canterbury Software Summit - September 8, Addington Raceway, Christchurch

• SKA Research and Industry Forums - September 22/23, Te Papa, Wellington

• Digital Content Forum - September 23, Te Papa, Wellington

• NZ Technology Trade & Investment Forum - September 26/27, Langham Hotel, Auckland

• Innovation Showcase event - September 26 - 28, Langham Hotel, Auckland

• South Pacific Entrepreneurs Networking event, September 27, Telecom Place, Auckland

• Future Cities Forum - September 28, Langham Hotel, Auckland

• Technology Jobs Fair - October 11 - 13, The Cloud, Auckland

• Schools Robotics World Cup - October 11 - 13, The Cloud, Auckland