Robotics, AI Competition in Tehran

The Eighth International Amirkabir Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Competitions (AUTCup 2019) opened Saturday at the Tehran International Fairgrounds.
Over 300 participant teams, including 192 from schools and 110 from universities are vying for the top prize. The contests end today (Monday). 
The event is co-organized by the Amirkabir University of Technology, the International Federation of Robot Sports Association (FIRA), the Iranian FIRA National Committee (IFNC represents the international association in the country), and the Ministry of Science.
According to the FIRA website firaworldcup.org, the competitions for college students are being held in four leagues, sports, challenge (more complex competitions such as search and rescue that can be done with teleoperation), air (drone autonomous race), and robot demonstration.
School students are competing in two sections, namely youth league (explore, mission impossible, cliff hanger, drone race, and sports robots) and robot demonstration league.
Along the AUTCup, a robotic exhibition is also underway featuring the developments and achievements of Iranian knowledge-based firms, Mehr News Agency reported.
Participants have been shortlisted from 542 robotic teams from 15 countries namely Russia, Australia, Taiwan, China, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Indonesia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Lithuania. 
Head of IFNC Soroush Sadeqnejad spoke of the growing importance of robotics in industries, healthcare, agriculture, defense, and trade. "This event is focused on promoting education, expertise, entrepreneurship and creating wealth" he said. 
The first round of the robotic competitions was held in 2009 with barely seven student leagues and gradually rose to 22 in the following years. 
With applications of the Internet of Things and robotic technologies growing fast, such competitions are part of a wider trend of incorporating robotics into everyday life.