The annual Trinity College Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest will bring robot enthusiasts and engineers of all ages to the college's Hartford campus April 10 and 11. More than 120 teams, including several from international countries of China, Israel and Indonesia, are expected to participate in the event. This event is quickly becoming one of the world's best known international robotics competitions.

The objective is to build an autonomous robot that can navigate through a maze resembling the floor plan of a house, locate a burning candle and extinguish the flame in the shortest time. The contest is unique because the robots must be autonomous - no joysticks, remote controls or manual assistance allowed.

According to Dr. David Ahlgren, contest director and Professor of Engineering at Trinity College, the Trinity College Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest encourages imagination and creativity among inventors of all ages and levels of skill, from elementary school children through retired engineers. "The contest serves as a laboratory for invention and innovation and a focal point for science and engineering education. What is really wonderful and exciting about the contest is to see the robots in action and to feel the enthusiasm of the participants and the spectators," says Dr. Ahlgren.