Robot jockey

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A robot jockey is commonly used on camels in camel racing as a replacement for human jockeys. Developed beginning in 2004, the robotic jockeys are slowly phasing out the use of human jockeys, which, in the case of Middle Eastern camel racing, often employs small children who reportedly suffer repeated systemic human rights abuses. In response to international condemnation of such abuses, the nation of Qatar has banned the use of human jockeys in favor of robots.

1 Use of humans in camel racing
2 Development and usage
3 Current usage
4 Notes and references

[edit] Use of humans in camel racing

Camel racing has been around for thousands of years. "The Sport of Sheiks" almost exclusively utilized small children, usually boys around the age of four, to ride and direct the camels. Often, the boys would be starved to be as light as possible. Many of the boys used for the races were often sold to race organizers or camel owners, and there was an active child slave trade for camel jockeys, involving victims of kidnapping or the children of destitute families who sold them into servitude. The children were rarely schooled, and were sometimes the victims of sexual abuse.^[1]^[2]

In Qatar, camel racing is seen as an historic national pastime, and the use of child labor as camel jockeys has been accepted for centuries. However, as international condemnation of the practice of child jockeys grew, the Emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, banned child jockeys in 2005,^[3] and directed that by 2007, all camel races will be directed by robotic jockeys.^[2]

[edit] Development and usage

The government of Qatar initiated development of the robots beginning in 2004. A Swiss robotics firm named K-Team, under the direction of Alexandre Colot, designed the robots. Part of the initial problems faced by the design team included that the camels were conditioned to the use of human jockeys. Early designs scared or confused the camels.^[2] The designs were modified to include more human-like features, including a mannequin-like face, sunglasses, hats, racing silks, and even traditional perfumes used with human jockeys.^[1] Other issues included the conditions that the robots and the computers would be put under: usually high temperatures in dusty environs, atop a fast moving and turbulent ride.

The robots are small, light weight, and are remote controlled, usually by operators paralleling the race in SUVs. The robots, which are aluminum-framed with a "thorax" about the size of a large book, contain small hinged arms that control the whip and the reins. The robot can also monitor and transmit the speed and heart rate of the camel.^[2]

[edit] Current usage

Widespread usage is limited to Qatar where the robots have been widely accepted. Other nations where camel racing is popular, such as the United Arab Emirates, have been facing increased scrutiny and controversy for their continued use of child jockeys.^[4]