03/07/2015
With Voith to Sochi
Seventh-Graders of Ernst-Abbe High School in Oberkochen Participate in the World Robot Olympiad in Sochi
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- Zur Großansicht
The three seventh-graders Sofie (13), Tessa (12) and Valentin (12) paid a visit to Voith in March and presented their self-made and self-programmed robot in the new Voith Training Center. The visit kicked off with a tour through the premises, which were opened in May 2014 and accommodate the training workshop, the classrooms and the staff offices under one roof. After the tour the pupils talked about their experiences in Russia and their passion for robot construction.
The three youngsters have been members of their school's "Lego League AG" since their fifth grade. At the Lego League they build and program robots from Lego Technic Kits under the watchful eye of their teacher Sonja Fick. The goal is to program the robot in such a way that it can complete a pre-defined route without remote control. In addition the robot has to collect parts of a rocket, transport them to a launch pad and sort and align them in the color sequence of the Russian flag. Moreover the robot is to move people within the vicinity of the rocket to a secure area.
The team has been working on the robot since January - once a week at the AG during term time and throughout the autumn holidays. The robot, which has, for example, color sensors in its small board computer, moves with the assistance of a small motor and is able to imitate a number of noises.
The participation in the world championships of the "World Robot Olympiad“ (WRO) was made possible by the teacher Mrs. Fick who also runs the Robot AG. Prior to qualifying for the final in Sochi, the pupils had to get through two national preliminary contests, where the first two teams qualify for the next rounds.
The WRO specifies the game plan and sets the individual tasks. The pupils build a robot in strict accordance with these requirements and program it in such a way that it can complete the course independently within a given time. Once the robot has set off it is not permitted to steer it externally - it has to complete the pre-programmed route. Parents or teachers watching the event are not allowed to provide on-site support. This was a massive challenge for the three robot fans.
Sofie, Tessa and Valentin participated in the events category "Elementary." Over 100 teams from all over the world started in this age group - the competitors came from the USA, from Korea or even from Thailand. The backdrop, the Olympic Village of the Sochi Winter Olympics 2014, really impressed the participants and their companions. Being able to sleep in the same room as a famous athlete was an exciting experience for the three youngsters.
Unfortunately, the scale of the game plan in Sochi was a whole centimeter smaller than the test plan that all teams had received in advance. This meant that Sofie, Tessa and Valentin had to lay on a night shift for reprogramming the robot - and this so close to the final!
After their highly satisfactory result in the upper third of the Olympiad, the pupils spend a day in Sochi. Seeing the city at the Black Sea with its parks was a pleasant conclusion. Prior to the actual final, the team also visited Moscow for a day.
The pupils who traveled to Russia with their mothers and their teacher were absolutely fascinated by Moscow. St Basil's Cathedral with its many colors and turrets or the huge shopping center "GUM" left them with unforgettable impressions.
The only thing they don't miss was the cold. In temperatures of nearly -20°C the robot builders were already dreaming of the next Olympiad. Perhaps in a warmer country?!
Voith congratulates Sofie, Tessa and Valentin on their successful participation in the " World Robot Olympiad“ (WRO) 2015.
