[NEWS] March 29, 2010

KOSEN Robot Contest 2009 (KOSEN Robocon 2009) was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on November 22, 2009. A total of 25 teams (KOSEN participants) that had survived regional tournaments participated in the national finals held at a famous venue for sumo tournaments.

"The Dancing Couple" was the theme of this year's 22nd contest. Pairs of robots exhibited graceful dance moves in three-minute performances (with four minutes allotted to the semifinals and finals). One pair of dancing robots featured a bipedal robotic design that is very difficult to create. The audience was captivated by these dance performances and gave the robots and their teams hearty rounds of applause.

The team from Kagawa National College of Technology (Takuma campus) emerged victorious over 124 other teams from KOSEN throughout Japan. The semifinal competition was particularly close. The impressive Super Rolling Jump, performed successfully for the first time at this national tournament, brought victory to the Kagawa team just before the competition ended.

The most outstanding honor-the "Robocon award"-was presented to the girls' team from Hiroshima Maritime National College of Technology. They created the "Cinderella Couple" that performed a magnificent rolling jump. Surprisingly, it was only second-year students that created this great work.

KOSEN students showed their extraordinary efforts coupled with high-level technology at this contest.

	The prince robot (on the right, wearing the blue jacket) presents a gift to the princess robot (on the left, wearing a pink dress). Robots created by the Hiroshima Maritime team, winner of the Robocon award.
	The Super Rolling Jump that won Kagawa the top prize with a perfect score.
	The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology presents the trophy to the winning team from Kagawa.