Hot on the heels of London 2012, Bristol will play host to the world's most advanced autonomous robots, who will compete against each other along with the expertise of their creators, at the FIRA RoboWorld Cup 2012.

The competition will take place at the Bristol Robotics Lab (BRL), a collaboration between the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, from 20-25 August 2012.

FIRA RoboWorld Cup, founded in 1996, is the first and premier event where roboticists internationally gather and challenge each other to test their newest technology. The tournament is seen as a way of inspiring interest in robotics and through the competition, teams are encouraged to develop systems and build on their scientific and engineering skills.

Technology developed for the FIRA RoboWorld Cup requires a holistic view, involving mechanical, electronic and software engineering, integrating advanced AI, automated control and image processing technology.

Alongside the games, a major scientific conference, the FIRA/TAROS Congress, will bring together the leading experts in robotics in the UK and worldwide.

BRL won a competitive bid to host these events as the largest multi-disciplinary robotics facility in the UK with an international reputation in advanced robotics research.

The FIRA RoboWorld Cup includes events such as: MiroSot, a micro-robot soccer tournament, using teams of miniature robots; SimuroSot, a simulated soccer tournament played on computers; and HuroSot, a five-a-side soccer game played by humanoid robots, which have two legs and mimic human movement. The robots are up to 150 cm high and weigh up to 30 kg. The pitch measures approx 430 cm by 350 cm.

The two universities and BRL have created a strong organisational team. Dr Guido Herrmann, conference chair and Senior Lecturer in Dynamics and Control in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol, said: "We are really excited to win this bid to host these two events. The robot games are a way of encouraging younger researchers to get involved in something that will test their abilities and show what autonomous robots can do. Teams work together to design and build the robots, and by pooling their knowledge in this challenge they are able to push the boundaries of robotics.

“BRL have already formed a team to take part in HuroSot, made up of students and staff and they will be working on the design of their robots over the next 18 months. We are looking forward to welcoming teams from around the world, and welcoming the world's leading experts in robotics to Bristol in 2012.”