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Robotics Tech Challenge Hits UVA Saturday

Hundreds of people are expected to watch robots go head to head in a competition at UVA this weekend.

Saturday, 28 teams of middle and high school students will compete in the FIRST Robotics Tech Challenge Shenandoah Valley Regional qualifier. Teams will be judged on how well their robots move and accomplish tasks.

Director for experiential programs and engineering outreach at UVA, George Cahen, said the FIRST Robotics Tech Challenge is a way to promote science and engineering.

"It gives them an opportunity to work in teams and then to actually design and build a robot and compete with other students from other schools to get a sense of how well they do compared to them," Cahen said.

The competition is free and open to the public. It kicks of at 10:30 a.m. at the Slaughter Recreation Center.

Winners will advance to the state competition in Richmond this March.