The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ROBOT

  • National Robot Olympiad, three winners for India global contest

    Two public and one private schools would be heading for the World Robots Olympiad in India having emerged winners of the National Robot Olympiad competition.

    Imperial Gate School Lekki, Lagos, emerged first in the elementary Category, Model College, Meiran Lagos dusted others in the junior category, while Surrogate Achievers clinched the crown to wrap up the junior category.

    Expressing her joy on Saturday at  Oriental Hotel Lekki venue of the event , representative of Imperial Gate School Sandra Umeh who won at the open category scoring an astounding 200 over 300, expressed her excitement in victory.

    Sharing her experience, Umeh said robotics challenges an individual’s creativity, constant thinking and practice to achieve success.

    Meanwhile, Mr Bayo Biyeye, the Director of Science and Technology, Lagos State Ministry of Education praised the Lagos State government for showing enthusiasm in robotics.

    Biyeye, who described the exercise as laudable, noted that the competition has enjoyed government support over the last five years.

    He said: “The state government has also provided Leego kits for our schools. We want to make sure that the schools have the kits so that the children can practice.

    “It is a good programme and an application of Information Communication Technology,” he said.

    Head, Infant School Meadow Hall School, Lekki, LagosMrs Bisola Obasanya said robotics promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics among children.

    Obasanya said about 22,000 particpants globally from across public and private primary, secondary and tertiary institutions feature in the completion before arriving at the qualifier.

    She said robotics had made children to be creative and think out of the box.

    “Kids like it (robotics) a lot, it is not like the normal regular boring school work.

    “Whenever they are on their own, it looks as if they were playing with toys but they are learning in actual sense.

    “Kids love Leego education, children learn through it; it is a different way of teaching,” she added.

    She, however, praised the Lagos state government for the support given to robotics or Leego education in the state.

    Prior to the grand finale, competitions were held across states and regional levels nationwide which eventually climaxed in the 48 finalists that competed for the crown at the sixth edition of National Robotics Olympiad qualifier.

     

  • Engineering students build robot

    Engineering students build robot

    A group of engineering students at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State has built a robot that can be used for farming. The project was their final year research. The students are Babatunde Akingbade, Omololu Babasanya, Oluwaseun Fagbule and Fikayo Sobowale.

    The robot was designed in pattern of a bulldozer. The students named it robodozer and designed it to avoid obstacles.

    Oluwaseun, the group leader, said: “The robodozer is a prototype of a bulldozer, which can be used on a farm land. If we have enough resources at our disposal, we can create a bigger robot that can be operated automatically. The prototype we built cost us N100,000 and we contributed N25,000 each to order for the parts online.”

    Another member of the group, Omololu, said: “It was fun creating the robot; although it was not too easy for us. Oour colleagues thought it was something we could not do but our supervisor was supportive. We built it by the grace of God and we take the credit because it is the first time such project will be done on the campus.”

  • Pupils train for World Robot Olympiad

    Pupils train for World Robot Olympiad

    Pupils from 24 primary and secondary schools in Rivers State participated in the World Robot Olympiad Pre-tournament workshop in Port Harcourt last week.

    The workshop, which had in attendance 160 pupils and 30 teachers, gave the pupils the opportunity to work on robots for the first time.

    Angela Opubo, Managing Director, SciTech Generation Ltd, owners of the Young Star Genius brand and organisers of the World Robot Olympiad (Southsouth), said the event was in line with her company’s vision to bring about revolution in applied science and technology education among youngsters at the grassroots.

    She said there was need for the corporate organisations to help support disadvantaged children to get into the competition.

    She added that with their support more children particularly from public schools, would benefit from the exposure in science and technology.

    “This exercise is aimed at exposing children to creative applications of science and technology. The pupils should not just cram to pass, they should have hands-on experience.

    “They should be able to build things and solve problems; they should know the solutions to these problems without having to cram. This is what the event is all about.

    “The theme for this year is Robots and space, and teams from each school are expected to design and create robots which will assist humankind in solving different tasks in space and the team that finishes first will be heading to Russia in November,” she said.

    Rivers State Commissioner for Youth Development, Sir Owuwene  Wonodi, who was the special guest at the event, said he was impressed that over 10 public schools participated.

  • National Robotic winners for Jakarta

    National Robotic winners for Jakarta

    As the third edition of the National Robotic Olympia ended at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki Lagos, Arc Light Nigeria, the organisers of the yearly contest, is hopeful the four schools that emerged from Nigeria will make the country proud at the World Robotic Olympia in Jakarta Indonesia next month.

    The schools that qualified are: Troika School, Lekki; Alofos Foundation, Surulere; Zamani College, Kaduna; and Ilado Community Junior High School, Ikoyi.

    Arch Light Nigeria Managing Director, Mr Tayo Obasanya said he was happy that the event is drawing more participants every year.

    “Every year, the number of entries for the contest increases because through robotic knowledge, key concepts in sciences have been broken down. Students now understand the use of energy force as it helps them to generate energy and measure it,” Obisanya said.

    Obisanya told reporters that the competition, which draws participants across primary, junior and senior secondary in private and public schools, engages them in robotic education with emphasis in engineering science, mathematics education, computer science, science, engineering science technology.”

    According to him, the exercise gets the students into the world of technology in a much simpler and exciting manner, and making learning easier.

    “It used to be theory upon theory in the classroom, but now, students can apply knowledge gained practically. It is not all about passing exams, but imparting life skills that are necessary for the development of solutions for today’s challenges.”

    Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education Mrs Omolara Erogbogbo, who led contesters from the state, gave her nod to the contest.

    She said: “We have read and seen robots in films but have never seen it like this before. Seeing our children laying their hands on these, means we have a great future. These children who have taken pains to participate in this competition have no doubt acquiring great idea of technology.”

    Erogbogbo admonished the pupils to put more focus in science and technology, adding that it is what would drive the economy in the future.

    “Since we see these children already imbibing this idea into school activities, we have a great future because we have always concentrated on Information Communication Technology (ICT), Science and Technology and entrepreneurship,” she added.