Witness History
Witness History
Inventing robot camel jockeys
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November 16, 2022
10 minutes
Available for over a year
In 2003, a Qatari engineer came up with the idea for a robot jockey, to replace child jockeys in camel racing.
Two years later, the robot was approved for use. The tiny gadgets, which wear caps and hold whips, are now used all over the Middle East.
Rachel Naylor speaks to Esan Maruff, who helped develop them.
(Photo: Robot jockeys riding camels. Credit: Getty Images)