Pilsen Region Hosted International Robotics Competition ROBO-VOZÍTKO 2024

Competition Cooperation University

A total of 22 teams competed from 6 countries.The traditional competition is organized by the Pilsen Region, the Secondary Vocational School of Electrical Engineering, the University of West Bohemiaalong with the Techmania Science Center.

The competition featured two-member teams of students aged 17 to 21 from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Germany, Turkey, and the People's Republic of China. The task for the competing teams was to construct a robotic rover, present it before the jury in English, and navigate it through a designated course in the shortest time possible. The course included an unlit tunnel and an elevation where the rover had to slow down upon ascent and accelerate upon descent. The rover transported a cup with a measured amount of water, which it must not spill.

"The course for the international round of the competition was designed to be challenging; competitors had to demonstrate truly high-quality knowledge and prepare well for the competition. This was best achieved by students from a Croatian technical school, who earned nine out of twelve awards," said the deputy governor for education and sports, Vladimír Kroc. He added, "Competitors could also receive awards, for example, for the design of the rover in the creativity competition, where aspects such as rover bodywork, protection of electronics from water, or interesting lighting were evaluated."

The most successful competitors were students from the Technical School Daruvar in the Croatian region, where a high percentage of the population has Czech roots, and they even have a representative in the Croatian parliament. Students from the Plzeň Region participate in exchange programs with schools in Daruvar. The Plzeň Region's Department of Education, Youth, and Sports closely collaborates with this area.

Twenty-three teams applied for the competition – 4 teams from Slovakia, 3 teams from Croatia, 2 teams from Germany, 3 teams from Turkey, and 3 teams from the People's Republic of China, which will compete online. Teams representing the Plzeň Region included students from the Higher Vocational School and Secondary Industrial School of Electrical Engineering, Plzeň, the Secondary Technical School of Electrical Engineering, Plzeň, the Secondary School of Agriculture and Food Processing, Klatovy, the Sports Gymnasium Plzeň, the Grammar School of Luděk Pika, Plzeň, the Secondary Vocational School and Secondary Vocational Training School, Sušice, the Grammar School, Plzeň, Mikulášské nám. 23, and the Secondary Industrial School, Tachov.

"The Plzeň Region is an industrial region, and there has long been a demand for technically skilled professionals here. And it is precisely at such international competitions that students could verify their knowledge and skills and see how far they can progress. Contacts with other students and partner companies are also important for them, as these companies actively seek students at such events and motivate them for their needs," said the governor of the Plzeň Region, Rudolf Špoták. "I personally enjoy such competitions a lot because I am very proud of our students, and deep down, I envy them a bit for having such opportunities for creativity and project realization today," the governor added.

Together with representatives from the Plzeň Region and Techmania Science Center Plzeň, awards were presented to the winners of various categories by the Rector of the University of West Bohemia, Miroslav Lávička. "We have long been striving for cooperation from elementary schools to university level in the Plzeň Region. I believe that among the talented competitors today, there were also future students of technical fields at our university," said the rector. Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of West Bohemia, Miloš Železný, also sat on the jury evaluating the most successful programming projects. "It is interesting to observe the innovative ideas that teams have in constructing the rover. It shows their effort to learn something extra. And surely, they can continue that within their studies at FAVU, where we will gladly pass on further knowledge that they can then apply in interesting careers," he added.

The goal of the competition is to deepen cooperation between schools in developing digital competencies needed for the future job market, to compare professional skills between schools across different countries, and to provide new inspirations for participating students.



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Press Release of the Pilsen Region (translated by ChatGPT)

07. 03. 2024