Robotics, Mexico's new challenge

For a long time, the future was conceived as, in books and movies , a time where machines worked with the touch from your finger o r robots carrying out similar tasks to those done by humans.

The first prediction came true several years ago, with the introduction of digital technology . In regards to humanoid robot s, its creation is going through a worldwide consolidation process , although countries like Japan , stand out .

Where does robotics stand in Mexico?

There are many stories about Mexican students who triumph in international championships and competitions . For example, last July 11, EL UNIVERSAL published a story about a robotics schoo l in Gutiérrez Zamora, Veracruz , that holds 160 international awards.

That same month, on July 24 , it was announced that a Mexican team , formed by students from the Universidad Tecnológica de la Mixteca , Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México , IPN , and Centro de Investigación de Matemáticas ( Cimat ), participated in the RoboCup 2018 , and took 5 robots to the football robots world championship.

Young people

are interested in showing their expertise in the matter and in participating in international competitions . If robotics was taught from an early age, the interest would increase .

In regards to education , Mexico now has a new challenge . Nowadays, robotics isn't taught in high schools , junior high school , and even less in elementary schools ; meanwhile, private schools promote this kind of knowledge since children are 7 years old.

This weekend, Mexico City hosted the International Robotics Olympics , where young people between 14 and 18 years old , from 180 different countries , participated. The Mexican team ended up on 12th place . President-elect, Andrés Manuel López Obrador , was present at the closure ceremony . He said that “ this is the future of education ”, which seems like a promising message that his administration will take measures to promote it. It's not just about creating humanoid robots, but it's rather about building, for example, machines that can detect or deactivate explosives, space exploration vehicles, surgical arms to carry out precise operations, prosthetics for those who have lost a limb or even machines that can prepare or serve coffee.

Nowadays, this technology mainly comes from abroad . It's time for Mexico to give its first steps to produce technology and to promote it in the classroom. During this process, no student should be excluded.

First Global Challenge robotics competition starts in Mexico City

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