The VI-th Festival of Robotics, Programming and Innovative Technologies

Selection competitions for the VI International festival of robotics, programming and information technologies "RoboLand 2020" were completed in Karaganda region.

 We would like to remind you that throughout the year similar selections of various levels are held throughout Kazakhstan, in many regions of Russia and in other countries.

In our region, where the largest and most authoritative festival in the country for children and young people interested in technical creativity was born, all 18 cities and rural areas fought for RoboLand tickets. In total, about five thousand schoolchildren and preschoolers took part in the competitions. They gathered in schools or Culture Houses of their cities, towns and villages and demonstrated their creativity and technical skills with excitement from January 25. A number of settlements - Zhezkazgan, Karazhal, Satpayev, district centers of Karkaralinsk, Ulytau and Bukhar-Zhyrau districts - decided to hold elections on February 7 - the International Robotics Day.

Qualification competitions in Karaganda became record-breaking in the number of participants - 396 out of 186 teams from 59 educational organizations of the city. The place of intellectual battles became halls and rooms of school-lyceum 103, one of the basic for robotics. It is not surprising that this school won the first place and the memorable cup in the team standings. The second place was taken by M. Zhumabayev Gymnasium N 39. The third stage of the podium was occupied by the 101st school-lyceum.

The championship in Karaganda surprised with a unique project kyz-kuu and tenge alu for robots. You can read about this completely local intellectual product in our news.

While the most popular categories in robotics are still the spectacular "Sumo Grand", "Controlled Football" and "Show with Robots", many guys and their mentors have performed well in the premier nominations. In Zhezkazgan it was "Agroengineers 2020", in Saran - "Robogeometry". By the way, it is Saran on February 28 will take part in the III regional festival of robotics, which will be attended by teams from cities and regions of Karaganda region.

RoboLand traditionally takes place during the spring holidays, and this year it will be held in the sports complex "Zhastar" on March 27 and 28. As always, the forum of educational robotics will be saturated with master classes from leading specialists, intense struggle of participants, new ideas and a show for all spectators. The geography of the festival will expand.

A teacher of computer science and robotics at a school in Maikuduk came up with a kyz-kuu¹ for robots.

Why there is sumo for robots, but nothing from the Kazakh national robotics games is mastered yet? This is what Dulat Akyltaev from school №34 thought, and began to work over tenge alu² and kyz-kuu for smart cars.

It took 9 months to implement the idea. The author wanted to arrange the mini-premiere in his native Oktyabrsky district, but when the patriotic innovation was found out in the city hotel of education, both competitions were included in the selection program for "RoboLand-2020" in Karaganda.

In tenge alu, the robot of the participant goes to the start with his "hand" raised, and then lowers the manipulator and collects the items laid out in a strictly defined order. Just as the rider of this type of baiga, who on a full race has to pick up small bags of coins from the ground. The time to complete the task in the Robo-Tenge alu is also limited, and the accuracy of the manipulations is assessed.

The path of chasing two robots in another new category is not strictly straight, which complicates the task and corresponds to tradition, because in kyz-kuu the rider-girl directs the horse to and fro to prevent the guy to catch up and kiss her. Besides, before the start of the fight the draw is held, which of the participants is to control the robot "kyz", and who to play for the "dzhigit". As for the kamcha³ hit, put the hapless young man in a real kuz-kuu, the author of the version of the game for robots so far decided to limit to the fact that the winner just pushes the loser off the track. However, both projects have great prospects for fantasy and improvement, so it is possible that by the time "RoboLand-2020" and other international festivals, unique competitions will gain even more national flavor.

Dulat Akyltaev is now also developing an idea for a kokpar⁴ project for robots.

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Translator’s note:

Kyz-kuu ¹- national Kazakh horseracing game

Tenge- alu ² – national Kazakh game of picking tenge from the ground on a horse

Kamcha ³ – Kazakh lash for horses

Kokpar ⁴ – Kazakh national game

On January 31, the V Urban Competition in Robotics “RoboKRG” was held in Karaganda.

The competition of pupils of 1-11 grades and preschools of the regional center is included into the calendar of qualifying games of the VI International Festival of Robotics, Programming and Information technologies "RoboLand 2020". Selections for the first, largest and most authoritative forum of educational robotics in the country have already been held in Osakarovka and Nurinsk districts, and children from Balkhash as well as from Karaganda were contesting for permits on the last day of January. We remind that within a year such selections were taken place all over Kazakhstan, in many regions of Russia and in other countries.

On January 31 in Karaganda 186 teams from 59 educational organizations of the city joined the fight for 52 permits to “RoboLand”. The place of intellectual battles became halls and rooms of school-lyceum No 103, one of the basic for robotics. It is not surprising that the first place and the memorable cup in the team event was won by this school. The second place was taken by Gymnasium No. 39 named after M.Zhumabayev. The third stage of the podium was taken by the school-lyceum No 101.

Selection in Karaganda surprised with a unique project kyz-kuu and tenge alu for robots. You can read about this completely local intellectual product in our news.

The baton of qualifying competitions in Karaganda will be taken up by Priozersk and Saran. Representatives of all 18 cities and rural areas of the Karaganda region have participated in them and will still compete.

This is the second year in a row that the young designers' achievements are being shown. This time it brought together 56 teams from schools and pre-schools of the regional center.

Gulsum Kozhakhmetova, the head of the Karaganda Education Department, started the festival. She congratulated everybody on the upcoming Independence Day, noting that thanks to this holiday there was an opportunity to organize such useful and interesting events. She thanked the staff of the gymnasium No. 39, which for the second time opened its doors for the young searchers. By the way, this time the teams of preschoolers will get more and it is also a proof that the festival is gaining momentum and popularity.

While kids learn to manage a programmable mouse, they already acquire basic knowledge of programming along with reading skills. Zakhar from kindergarten "Tolagay" easily presses the right set of keys to the robot to get to the cards with letters and collect the words "mouse" and "cheese".

Older robot technicians are busy solving pressing problems.

- If last year the main part of the projects was represented by 3D-printer models, in 2019 the festival impressed with an abundance of interesting developments that can be widely used in practice," says Alexey Ananyev, the head of the information and analytical department of City Department of Education.

A lift for people with disabilities and a playground for disabled children, a garbage-sorting unit, drawing devices are among them.

Robot sorting garbage was presented at the festival by schoolchildren of the 7th grade Akhmet and Yelaman from school №16. The guys admitted that the teacher helped them, but they did the main work, including programming, operating model and slide show, though guided by a mentor, they did it themselves.

In the future, they do not see themselves as engineers yet, as well as the team that invented the truck to clean the roads. The machine not only scrabble snow from the roadway, but also pours a solution of potassium acetyl i.e. a non-toxic mixture that prevents icing of the roads. By the way, the engine of the machine also runs on chemical fuel. Hence, the passion for robotics contributes to the mastery of other school disciplines.

The guys demonstrated their inventions to the competent jury of the City Department of Education and teachers of technical disciplines. Arbitrators presented many ideas, showing sincere interest in the project.

Teachers and coaches attended a workshop on IT-technologies and filled out questionnaires at KiberOne School. Children aged 6 to 14 years old are taught to program, blog and generally work with multimedia. The aim of KiberOne is to provide early career guidance, first of all, by changing the attitude towards devices not as a toy for fun, but as a useful tool for a successful future. Moreover, on the makeathone, the guys were shown how to create their own blog, how to draw a cartoon with a moving figure on the basis of Meinkraft.

An exhibition of robotic products was holding all three hours of makeathone on the second floor of the gymnasium.

Following the results of Makeathone, the authors of the most useful and unusual projects received cups and diplomas, and their heads received letters of thanks from the Department of Education of Karaganda.

In the Karaganda region for the first time was held a tournament on robotics among preschoolers. Kindergarten students competed in the STEMROBOT MOUSE category. They showed their algorithms and design skills.

The tournament was organized by the Educational Methodological Center for the Development of Education in the Karaganda Region, the Education Department of Karaganda, and the Kazdidac Association. The tournament was based on the private kindergarten "Odaryoshka".

The championship was attended by 46 children aged from 4 to 6 years. 23 teams from five cities competed: Karaganda, Shakhtinsk, Temirtau, Zhezkazgan and Balkhash.

According to the organizers, this tournament became a kind of rehearsal on the eve of the V International Festival of Roboland-2019, which will be held in Karaganda on March 29-30.

– It is very cool that we see such activity. This event was preceded by a large preparation. The fact is that last year, kindergartens express an intention to present teams on the RoboLand. But then there was not enough coaching training. To solve this issue, a special program for pre-school organizations was developed. Together with the Kazdidac Association, we organized robotics courses for kindergarten employees, on which we have trained more than 70 people, – noted Almagul Bugubayeva, methodologist at the Educational Methodological Center for the Development of Education in the Karaganda Region.

For today about 20 kindergartens of the Karaganda region have purchased robotics. All of them are equipped with training sets.

In the first tournament, the winner’s cup went to the Odaryoshka kindergarten team. The second place was taken by the Baiterek nursery-kindergarten team (Karaganda). Bronze medals were won by the teams of the Saltanat nursery school (Shakhtinsk) and Almagul (Karaganda).

To other participants were given letters of appreciation and gifts. Winners and prize winners received tickets to the Roboland-2019.

The 4th city competition in robotics "RoboKRG-2019" was held in Karaganda. This year it has become much bigger. Due to the influx of participants, the program was divided into two days. 178 teams represented 57 educational organizations. 370 children and teenagers competed in 17 categories. This is four times more than it was in the first competition.

The interest of children in technical creativity spurred the development of educational robotics.

– Today, all schools in the city have constructor sets, and 33 of them are equipped with robotics laboratories. This year were opened 13 IT classes. In the Palace of Children and Youth was opened a technological cluster. All of this expands the boundaries of technical creativity. Although robotics is developing relatively recently, our children have already successfully participated in international competitions and won prizes, –said Natalia Golovina, head of the general and secondary education sector of the education department of Karaganda.

This year for the first time competed 6 years old children – the youngest robot lovers. Young participants performed in the "Legowedo" category and presented musical scenes in the show with robots.

For older participants, we expanded the list of categories and included there categories from international competitions.

– Compared with previous times, the competitive level has increased significantly. New robotics rooms purchased for schools allowed to include such categories as “Labyrinth” and “Sumo Grand” in the program. We strive to meet international standards, – said the chief judge of the competition Alexey Ananiev. – I am glad that the teams compete with each other on a professional level. The guys themselves defend their results in terms of rules and regulations, argue with the judges. This indicates their competence.

According to the results of the competition, the strongest teams that will take part in the V International Festival of Robotics, Programming and Innovative Technologies "ROBOLAND-2019" were determined. The largest technical creativity forum will be held in Karaganda on March 29-30.

In the team scoring won the school-lyceum number 57 named after S. Sattarova. Second place won the school No. 32. The third place was taken by two schools - school No. 36 and No. 9.

In cities and districts of the Karaganda region are held competitions in robotics. They are the qualifying round for the V International Festival of Robotics, Programming and Innovative Technologies “ROBOLAND-2019”.

Regional competitions started on the January 24th and will last until mid-February. Winners will apply for participation in ROBOLAND.

– In Temirtau the city robotics Olympiad is held for the 4th time. More than 120 children from zero-grade students to graduates gathered for the competition. If only four schools participated in it for the first time, now they are 18. Educational robotics is booming, and children's interest in this area is growing, – says Olympics coordinator Vyacheslav Varzin. –  Participants compete in 13 categories, three of them – for the smallest children. The best teams will be recommended to participate in the ROBOLAND festival.

According to the judges, the competition was tough and the requirements were serious. It was hard for beginners who competed with already experienced rivals.

– I am occupying myself with robotics for the second year. Robotics doing the second year. For these competitions I have assembled my own robot. The assembly took several days. Three times reworked, because not everything worked right away. As a result, my robot won. His strength is in the gearbox I made it myself. It reduces speed, but increases strength at the right moment. This allowed to defeat other robots opponents. The knowledge of physics and the summer practice at my dad’s service station helped, – said 9th grade student of the secondary school No. 23 of Temirtau Edward Sheinmeyer, the winner in the “Sumo GRAND” category.

The V International Festival of  Robotics, Programming and Innovative Technologies “ROBOLAND 2019”  will be held in Karaganda on the March 29-30 at the “Zhastar” sports complex.

At the Roboland-2019  festival appeared  a new competitive category ROBOLAND-FRIENDSHIP. The competition is absolutely unique! It allows you to look at the process of rivalry and becoming a winner from a new perspective.

“FRIENDSHIP is help, support, cooperation, empathy, loyalty, honesty, and more. In the ROBOLAND-FRIENDSHIP category, only the one who unites, agrees and will manifest human qualities in relation to rivals and representatives of his team can win” , - the initiators of the category explain.

The competition consists of three stages.

At the first stage, the participants represent their team. Then prepare a presentation (video, slide show, etc.), in which they share a real friendship story. This is not necessarily the friendship of people. For example, there may be a story of friendship between man and animal.

At the second stage it is necessary to introduce a robot that will help people. The most daring ideas and fantasies are welcome. After all, you can draw an analogy between the fabulous items and modern gadgets: carpet-plane - quadrocopter; tangle of road pointing - GPS-navigator; golden saucer and apple saucer - cameras, Skype, social networks, etc.

At the third stage, the teams need to unite with each other to pass the baton. The result depends on the ability to negotiate and establish partnerships.

The V International Festival of Robotics, Programming and Innovative Technologies "ROBOLAND 2019" will be held in Karaganda on March 29-30 at the sports complex "Zhastar".

Two competitions in educational robotics took place at the Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radio Electronics: the Tomsk Region Governor Cup and TUSUR Rector's Cup. They were attended by preschoolers, schoolchildren and students from the Tomsk region, cities of Russia and Kazakhstan.

Participants competed in different nominations: “Robo-parade”, “Marathon of walking robots”, “Kegelring”, “Sumo”, “Football of robots”, “Dances of android robots”, etc. These competitions became qualifications for participation in the Russian stage of international robotics competitions RoboCup.

In addition, workshops on educational robotics and RoboCupJunior regulations were organized.

Kazakhstan was represented by 6 school teams from the Karaganda region. 27 students went to Tomsk - young robotics from regional specialized boarding schools, Lyceum No. 101 and Gymnasium No. 38 of Karaganda, as well as teams from Zhanaarka district. All of them are winners of such International Festivals as RoboLand-2018 and Kazrobotics.

The trip to the Siberian city was financed by the Department of Education of the Karaganda region.

Teams form Karaganda took the first two places and one second. The team of the school named after N. Nurmakovakoval won the Cup of the Governor of the Tomsk Region, having won in the “Kegelring” category. In the “Capture the Flag” category, the Nurmak team took silver medals. The combined team of the Lyceum school No.101 and Gymnasium No.38 is recognized as the best in the show with RoboCupJuniorOnStageAdvance robots. It was awarded by the TUSUR Rector's Cup.

In Kazakhstan, in aid of teachers of robotics and lovers of technical creativity, had been released a collection of three textbooks. These books contain lessons on Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

The author is a Russian software engineer, project developer in the field of robotics and electronics – Viktor Petin. The books were published on the order of the Karaganda company – Basic Store LLP, which supplies educational equipment to educational institutions throughout the country.

The collection is unique. Each lesson is a complete project – the reader gets a consistent solution. Acquired knowledge will become the basis for further development and creation of own robotic projects.

Today, robots are rapidly advancing in all spheres of human life, the publication initiators say. In these conditions, highly qualified engineers need to be prepared from school. Kazakhstan does not lag behind global processes: educational robotics is developing in schools and at an additional level, and children's interest in this type of creativity is growing.

In the Karaganda region were created technology parks for children and adolescents who are passionate about robotics, engineering and programming. The first such centers of technical creativity opened in Karaganda and Shakhtinsk.

Project organizers: Education Department of Karaganda region and local akimats. The Base Store LLP was engaged in technical fitting-out.

The technology parks provide conditions for children of different ages: from kindergarteners to high school graduates, as well as college students.

Karaganda technology park consists of three blocks. There is a mobile planetarium and an astronomical complex, robotics, LEGOprojecting and programming classes, IT-class - "Center for digital art and technology". In the future there will be new laboratories.

The "Kemenger" – Shakhtinsk techno center, is provided with a different range of directions. Children’s services: “Archimedes Academy”, “Robot League”, “Step into the Future”, Polyglot multimedia-language laboratory class, modern FABLAB, STEM laboratory, robotics laboratory. There is also a free zone “Eureka Park” where you can relax and discuss ideas.

For the first time in Karaganda was held the city festival of STEM-projects "Meikaton-2018". 90 children and teenagers took part in it. Pupils presented their works on the topic "Smartcity".

Today STEM-technology is one of the current areas of education. It provides an integrated learning approach.

In the 2018-2019 school year, the STEAM-education project was implemented in 21 Karaganda schools. A curriculum has been developed and areas identified. The project involves teachers of natural-mathematical cycle and technology. They seek to change the traditional style of work.

- In the context of globalization, the competitiveness factor comes to the fore. And we must foster these qualities among the younger generation. The new programs are aimed at this, - noted Raisa Kenesheva, acting Head of the Education Department of Karaganda, - In 33 educational institutions of Karaganda today robotics rooms are equipped. In 14 schools opened IT-rooms. I want to thank our social partner - Base Store LLP, which helps to comprehensively resolve the issue with the equipment.

As part of the festival, an IT class was opened at gymnasium No. 39 named after M. Zhumabaeva. A master class for teachers, an exhibition of equipment for STEM laboratories were organized. Experts and teachers discussed at the round table the prospects for the development of STEAM-education. They shared their experience with the regional specialized boarding school for gifted children named after N.Nurmakov and Karaganda Nazarbayev Intellectual School.

At the end of the festival, the commission chose the best projects in three areas: electronics and robotics, 3D modeling and printing, creative work. The winners of the nominations “Successful Start”, “Virtual Reality” were determined. Winners and prize winners received diplomas and gifts.

"Bolashaq" Higher College provided prizes to the authors of the best projects in the category "Electronics and Robotics". High school students received grants to study at this institution.

Russian specialists conducted an enhanced training course on robotics “Arduino. Internet of Things” in Karaganda. The training was organized by the Education Department of Karaganda region and the Training and Methodological Center with the support of the Kazdidac Association and the Basis Store

Qualified professionals were invited to conduct the classes. A software engineer Viktor Petin from Pyatigorsk wrote about a dozen books on robotics. He specializes in such topics as Arduino and smart home. A teacher from Tomsk Pavel Pugachyov works at the Physico-Technical Lyceum. He trains teams for international competitions in robotics that become winners.

“The course is aimed at training trainers in Arduino. We selected a group of 30 people from among those who have already been trained. They are teachers of schools, colleges and organizations of additional education,” said Yesbol Arinov, deputy director for innovative forms of education and e-education at the Training and Methodological Center.

Arduino is planned to be made a mandatory subject for high school students in school robotics laboratories. Sets of equipment are currently being purchased.

“Our task is to provide teaching methods so that the attendees can work with school students in the future. We started with a basic level, introduction to the Arduino microcontroller and how to choose the right program. Then we moved to an in-depth level, preparation for competitions involving robots controlled by Arduino, creating IoT devices,” the teachers explained.

The attendees received certificates upon completion of the course. New knowledge will help them in working with children.

“The most important thing is that we received the right direction. We now know what to start from and where to go further on our own. We will be able to give more interesting material to our students,” shared Irina Shiyenko, head of the scientific and technical creativity department of the Children's and Youth Center of Shakhtinsk.

“This course can be compared with an open door to a great future. It is very useful, especially the Internet of Things. We were given the opportunity to create together with our students. We will start with the basics, and then ideas for an interesting project will appear,” said Nadezhda Vasiliadi, a teacher of secondary school No. 32 of Karaganda.

In Petropavlovsk in the framework of the international festival “KazRobotics-2018” the championship “KazRoboSport” took place. Teams from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan made a total of 250 participants in the competition.

The festival was held with the support of the Akimat of the North Kazakhstan region. The General Partner was the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy.

According to the results of the championship, the team of Karaganda region won the first place and the grand prix of the akim of the North Kazakhstan region. The second place was taken by the national team of Atyrau region. In third place - the team of the West Kazakhstan region.

The team of the Karaganda region included 12 people: students of the regional specialized boarding school for gifted children by the name of N. Nurmakova, Secondary Schools No. 39, 16 and 83, Bolashak Higher College Students. Karaganda students won in the “Sumo mini” and “Relay” categories, and also won two third places in the category “Biathlon” among the younger and older age groups.

– Competitions were held under the new regulations, so there were certain difficulties. Karaganda region was one of the first in the republic to introduce educational robotics. Large resources are invested in the development of this area, hence the result, – said Ilya Sinenko, president of the regional branch of the Federation of Educational and Sports Robotics “KazRobotiks”.

Regional qualifying competitions and training for team members were held at the base of the Karaganda Higher College “Bolashak”.

– For robotics today is the future. Over the past two years, more than 4 million tenge has been invested in our institution in the development of this area. With this money, modern programmable designers are acquired, – said Gaini Mamrayeva, director of the college.

Within the framework of the IV International Festival of Robotics, Programming and Innovative Technologies "ROBOLAND2018" was held an open competition among photographers of Kazakhstan "My World of Robotics".

The only condition was to display in the picture the relationship of people and robots.

The winner is Anatoly Ustinenko – a photo master from Almaty. He sent to the competition a series of photographs taken in a robotics club, in which children with special needs are engaged – hard of hearing and not hearing. For these children, technical creativity is part of rehabilitation opportunities.

Anatoly Ustinenko is a full member of the Academy of Journalism of Kazakhstan, a twice winner of the prize "Altyn Zhuldyz", a multiple winner of various international photo contests.

The organizers of the festival congratulate the winner and thank for participating in the photo contest.

Organizers of the largest festival of robotics, programming and innovative technologies in Kazakhstan “ROBOLAND 2018” summed up the results.

The forum was held in Karaganda on the March 29-31. This year there were 32 nominations.

At the festival competed teams from 4 countries: Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Poland. In total, it is 1483 participants of the competitions, 214 representatives of teams.

The maximum in the category was 43 teams (Sumo mechanical, Follow the line for beginners), minimum - 3 (VEX IQ Challenge Ringmaster).

In the team rating  Karaganda region took the first place with 165 medals, the second place - Akmola region (19 medals), the third - Astana (17 medals).

Three cups were won by teams from Russia - in the categories "Dances", "Football controlled robots", First Lego League Junior.

Special prize of LEGO EDUCATION went to the winner in the category Roboland-Kazakhstan - the team "Robotrek-Kokshetau".

The guests of the festival were 34 well-known specialists from Kazakhstan, Russia and Greece.

Within the framework of the festival were held "Karaganda meetings", dedicated to the introduction of digital technologies in schools and the development of educational robotics. They included a round table and a structured dialogue. Foreign specialists held meetings in Karaganda schools. A total of 48 workshops, master classes and presentations took place at the festival site.

The organizer of the festival is the department of education of the Karaganda region. Six organizations and companies provided official support to the festival. These are the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken", JSC "National Agency for Technological Development", Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, Lego Education, VEX Robotics and Tetrix Robotics.

And there were 8 major official partners. This is the Republican Educational and Methodological Center for Continuing Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Oleg Deripaska Foundation's Freestyle Foundation, International Association of Sports and Educational Robotics, Association of 3D Education, Kazdidac Association, Khabar Agency, Saryarqa TV Channel, political newspaper "BILIMDY EL - EDUCATED COUNTRY".

Anyone could watch the festival thanks to live streaming on the YouTube. The organizers are grateful to all: partners, guests, participants and spectators. Until we meet again on ROBOLAND.