Between April 6 and 10, the Rob9-16 robotics club आयोजित, at the Oeiras campus, the “Project X: Autonomy on Wheels” workshop. Young people aged 9 to 16 had the opportunity to build autonomous cars using Arduino.

First we learned the code and then applied it to the car, which was the most complicated part.

Maria, 15 years old, participant

The group, dedicated to robotics, taught the younger participants how to program, solve logic and cryptography challenges, and build electronic systems. The students were challenged to develop a car that could move and react to its environment. “We had to make sure the car didn’t crash into obstacles and could find the best path,” explained Guilherme, a participant in the activity.

“It’s fun here, it’s not too serious. You can learn and at the same time feel relaxed,” said Margarida, another participant, who highlighted the learning environment as “practical and laid-back.”

I really enjoyed building the car, but also the computer maze activity and cryptography. (...) I liked everything!

Margarida, 11 years old, participant

Ana Pinto, an Aerospace Engineering student and a mentor in this edition, emphasized the importance of fostering interest in this field from an early age: “Many students arrive at Técnico without ever having had this kind of experience, and here they gain a foundation and confidence that makes a difference,” she said. This view was echoed by Sofia, a workshop participant: “I know I want to pursue a field related to robotics, and this helps me better understand what I like,” she noted.

The week ended with a mini-competition between the cars developed.

We’re programming, building, and seeing things happen. I think that’s what makes it all more interesting.

Sofia, 13 years old, participant

News and photo: Técnico