Proceedings of the

The International 20th World

Federation of Congress
Automatic Control
Proceedings
The of the
International
Toulouse, France, 20th9-14,
World
Federation
July of Congress
Automatic Control
2017
The International
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Toulouse, France,Federation of Automatic Control
July 9-14, 2017
Toulouse, France, July 9-14, 2017
ScienceDirect
IFAC PapersOnLine 50-1 (2017) 12155–12160
Teaching Robotics in Secondary School
Teaching Robotics in Secondary School
Teaching Robotics in ∗,∗∗∗∗
Secondary School∗∗
Sergey Filippov Natalia Ten
∗ Ilya Shirokolobov
Sergey Filippov ∗ Natalia Ten ∗,∗∗∗∗
Alexander Fradkov Ilya Shirokolobov ∗∗
∗∗∗∗,∗∗∗,∗∗
Sergey Filippov ∗ Natalia Ten ∗,∗∗∗∗
Alexander Fradkov ∗∗∗∗,∗∗∗,∗∗ Ilya Shirokolobov ∗∗
∗∗∗∗,∗∗∗,∗∗
∗ Presidental Lyceum ofAlexander Fradkov
physics and mathematics #239, St.Petersburg, Russia
∗ Presidental Lyceum of physics and mathematics #239, St.Petersburg, Russia
∗ Presidental Lyceum of (e-mail: safilippov@gmail.com)
∗∗ Saint Petersburg physics
(e-mail: and mathematics
safilippov@gmail.com)
State University, #239, St.Petersburg,
St.Petersburg, Russia (e-mail:Russia
∗∗ Saint Petersburg (e-mail: safilippov@gmail.com)
State University, St.Petersburg, Russia (e-mail:
∗∗ Saint Petersburg Statefradkov@mail.ru)University, St.Petersburg,
∗∗∗ Institute of Problems in Mechanical fradkov@mail.ru)
Engineering, the Russia
Russian(e-mail:Academy of
∗∗∗ Institute of Problems in Mechanical fradkov@mail.ru)
Sciences, St.Petersburg, Russia Russian Academy of
Engineering, the
∗∗∗ Institute of Problems in Mechanical Engineering, the (e-mail:
Russian Academy of
∗∗∗∗ ITMOSciences,
University, St.Petersburg,
St.Petersburg, Russia
Russia
∗∗∗∗ ITMOSciences,
University, St.Petersburg, Russia
St.Petersburg, Russia (e-mail:
∗∗∗∗ ITMO University,nataliagten@gmail.com)
St.Petersburg, Russia (e-mail:
nataliagten@gmail.com)
nataliagten@gmail.com)
Abstract: Robotics and control theory education at schools has been shown to provide some interesting
Abstract:
results andRobotics
forms a and communitycontrol theory
of people education
who are at keen
schools on has been shown
robotics since their to provide
secondary someschool.
interesting
The
Abstract:
paper andRobotics
resultspresents forms a and
community
an overview control theory
of people
of a unique education
who are
experience at schools
ofkeen on has
Robotics been for
robotics
Center shown
since to provide
their
schoolchildrensecondary some itsinteresting
and school. The
activities
results
paper
and and forms
presents
describes the a community
an outcomes:
overview of people
ofcourses
a unique who are
forexperience
children ofkeen
and onorganizing
Robotics
adults, robotics
Center for since their secondary
schoolchildren
competitions, and school.
robotics itscamps The
activities
and
paper
and presents
describes an
the overview
outcomes: of a unique
courses for experience
children of
and
quests. Collaboration with universities is also shown to enhance its efficiency. Robotics
adults, Center
organizing for schoolchildren
competitions, and
robotics its activities
camps and
and describes
quests. the outcomes:
Collaboration courses forischildren
with universities also shown and adults,
to enhanceorganizing competitions, robotics camps and
its efficiency.
© 2017,Collaboration
quests. IFAC (International with universities
Federation is of also shownControl)
Automatic to enhance its efficiency.
Hosting by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Control education, robotics at schools, secondary education, interactive learning
Keywords: Control education, robotics at schools, secondary education, interactive learning
environments
Keywords:
environments Control education, robotics at schools, secondary education, interactive learning
environments
1. INTRODUCTION velop robotics and automation control skills among children in
1. INTRODUCTION velop robotics
secondary andSome
school. automationexamples control
that skills
show amongcontrolchildren
theory ap- in
1. INTRODUCTION velop robotics
secondary
plication for andSome
school. automation
schoolchildren examples
and control
that
some skills
show
real among
control
projects children
oftheory in
ap-
students
In our century robots appear everywhere and the world industry secondary school. Some examples that show control theory ap-
In ourforward
goes centurywith robots appear everywhere
engineers making robots andandtheautomated
world industry sys- who plication for schoolchildren and some real
studied robotics in the Center are described in (Filippov projects of students
In ourforward
century robots appear everywhere andandthe world industry plication
whoal.,studiedfor The
schoolchildren
robotics
paperinisthe and
Center some as real
are projects
described inof(Filippov
students
goes
tems day by day.with engineers
Good making
engineers come robots
from goodautomated
universities,sys- et 2017). structured follows. Section 2 gives
goes forward with engineers making robots and automated sys- who studied robotics inishistory
the Center are described inits(Filippov
but it is hard to attract talented children to choose the univer- et al., 2017). The paper is structured as follows. Section 22 gives
tems day by day. Good engineers come from good universities, et
a al.,
short 2017). The
description paper
of the structuredof as follows.
Robotics Section
Center, achieve-
gives
tems
but itday
sities by
to day.
is hard
and Good
to attract
major engineers come
talented children
in engineering. First from good
to choose
they need to universities,
the shown ments.
be univer- a short description
A brief overview of the history of Robotics
of provided robotics Center,
courses its achieve-
is given
but it is hard to attract talented children to choose the univer- ainshort
ments. description
A brief of
overview the history
of of
provided Robotics
robotics
Sec. 3 Section 4 describes robotics courses for teachers and Center,
courses its achieve-
is given
sities the
what andengineering
to major in work engineering.
is and feel Firstittheywithneed
theirtoown be shown
hands. ments.
sities
what
So and
it isthe toa surprise
major inthat
notengineering engineering.
work is andisfeel
robotics First itthey
popular withinneed
their toown
be shown
educational in Sec. A
con- information
hands.
brief
3 Section overview
4 describes
support. Sectionof provided
robotics
5 provides robotics
a list courses
courses for teachersis given
of competitions and
what
So it the
is not engineering
a surprise work
that is
roboticsand feel
is it
popular within their own
educational hands.
con- in Sec.
information
and their3 Section
short 4 describes
support. Section
description robotics
and5 provides
Sec. 6courses
a list
describes for
of teachers and
competitions
International
texts nowadays. Studying robotics at secondary school appears information support. Section 5 provides a list of competitions
So give
it is
texts
to not
nowadays. a surprise
a good thatonrobotics
Studying
impact robotics
the way isatpopular
secondary
children inchoose
educational
schoolwho con- and their Festival
they Robotics
appears short description
Robofinistand Sec. 6 by
organized describes
the Center. International
Summer
texts nowadays. Studying and theircamp short isdescription
Robofinistand a Sec.
brief 6inby describes International
to
wantgive to abegood impact
and teaches onrobotics
them wayat
theskills secondary
children
that wouldchoosebeschool who
useful appears
inthey Robotics
any robotics Festival described inorganized the 7Center.
Sec. and a Summer
robotics
to give abescience.
good impact onwords
theskills
way children Robotics Festival Robofinist
in Sec. 8.inorganized
a brief inbySec. the 7Center. a Summer
want
branch toof and teaches Thesethem canthat be wouldchoose
proven whointhey
be experience
by useful of game
any robotics camp
is described is described Collaboration with and robotics
universities is
want
branch to ofbe and
science. teaches
These them
words skills
can that
be would
proven be
by useful
experience in any
of robotics
game
describedis camp
described
in is 9.
Sec. described
in Sec.
Section 8.inCollaboration
10 ais brief
devoted in Sec.
to with7 and
some a robotics
universities
results is
of the
robotics schools from all over the world. game is described
branch ofschools
robotics science. These
from all words
over the can be proven by experience of activities
world. described in Sec. 9.inSection
mentioned inSec.
the 8. 10Collaboration
paper.is devoted to with someuniversities
results of the is
As it wasschools
robotics mentioned frominall (Johnson,
over the2003),world.for a long time robotics described in Sec. 9. Section
activities mentioned 10 is devoted to some results of the
in the paper.
As it was
offers newmentioned
benefits in in (Johnson,
education 2003), for a long
at all levels. timeoverview
In the robotics activities mentioned in the paper.
As it was
offers
(Benitti, new mentioned
benefits
2012) inshown
it isin (Johnson,
educationthat2003),
ata all for
of aliterature
lot levels. long timehas
In the robotics
overview
been 2. ROBOTICS CENTER
offers new
(Benitti,about
written benefits
2012) in
it is shown
robotics education at
that ainlot
applications all levels. In
of literature
education the
and theiroverview
has effec-
been 2. ROBOTICS CENTER
(Benitti, 2012) it is shown that a lot of literature has been 2. ROBOTICS CENTER
written
tive aboutAs
results. robotics
it was applications
shown in (Lindh in education and their 2007)
and Holgersson, effec- Robotics Center of Presidential Lyceum of physics and mathe-
written
application about
tive results. As
of robotics
LEGO applications
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shown in (Lindh in education
equipment andand
and Holgersson, their
other effec- matics
2007)
robotics Robotics #239Center
(RCPMLof Presidential
#239) is on Lyceum of physics
of the largest school androbotics
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matics inCenter
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described of LEGO Mindstorms
effects on
in (Kandlhofer andeducation.equipment
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children, #239)
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on developing school robotics
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kits
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described
impact inrobotics effects
(Kandlhofer on
andeducation.
activities Steinbauer,
make The2016)recent
on schoolchildren shows experiment
asthe posi-
well centers
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as engineering Russia.
children, The lyceum
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education. are
Forkeen provides a high
on developing
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the results of teaching robotics at secondary schools described quick and effective application of their knowledge the field
described
tive impact in (Kandlhofer
robotics and
activities Steinbauer,
make on 2016)
schoolchildren shows the
as posi-
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education. are
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children, developing
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interested in ofa
lyceum
tive(Dagdilelis
the
in impactof
results robotics
et al.,activities
teaching robotics
2005). make
The on schoolchildren
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above can schools as wellby
described
be supported as has engineering
quick education.
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application
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knowledge interested
the lyceum
of extra-curricular in a
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Robotics at secondary
The above schools
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Robotics way The
Center above
develops can beinto
for schoolchildren,
them supported
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robotics Center.
courses Itfor
is secondary
successfully a branch ofand
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sinceschool
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in a experience
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attractive wayCenter
develops for schoolchildren,
them into good
neers and makes them familiar with the world of robotics. The children free of charge. which
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neers
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neersresults
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St.Petersburg ofState them
collaborationfamiliar
University withstudents
among
and the world
undergraduate of robotics.
of Robotics students
Center of In
The 2013 RCPML
children
In 2013
#239 and charity foundation “Finist” started
free of charge.
RCPML
first results
St.Petersburg of collaboration
State University among
and undergraduate
students of Roboticsstudents
Center of the project, called#239 and charity
“Robofinist”. Its foundation
aim is to create “Finist” started
a quickly
are described in (Filippov et al., 2011) and some examples of In 2013 RCPML #239 and charity foundation “Finist” started
St.Petersburg State the project,
developing called
community “Robofinist”.
of people, Its aim
who is
are to create
keen on a quickly
robotics,
are described
applied methods ofUniversity
in (Filippov
controlet theoryand2011)
al., students
andand of Robotics
some
robotics examples
educationCenter of
at the project, called “Robofinist”. Its aim is to create a quickly
developing community of people, whoand areviakeen on robotics,
are described
applied
schools methods
are in (Filippov
presented of control et theory
in (Filippoval., 2011)
and and and
Fradkov, some
robotics examples of
education
2012). at join them together
developing
join them togethercommunity
in common
inthese
common ofplans
activities
people, who
activities andare keen
via
common online
on robotics,
common online
applied methods of control theory
schools are presented in (Filippov and Fradkov, 2012). and robotics education at resources. To make come true an extending range of
The paper join them
resources. together
To make in common
these plans activities
come trueandan via common
extending online
range of
schools areispresented
about theinexperience
(Filippov of andtheFradkov,
Center that2012). since 2008 activities is provided: organizing a quickly developing website
The succeeded
has paper is about the experience
in creating a complex of the Center that
education sinceto2008
system de- and resources.
activities isToprovided:
an annual make these
robotics plans come
organizing
festival, true andeveloping
acompetitions,
quickly extending
roboticrange
website
camps of
The paper is about the experience of the Center that since 2008 activities is
has succeeded in creating a complex education system to de- and an annual robotics festival, competitions, robotic camps provided: organizing a quickly developing website
has succeeded in creating a complex education system to de- and an annual robotics festival, competitions, robotic camps
Copyright © 2017 IFAC 12666
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Copyright © 2017, IFAC (International Federation of Automatic Control)
2017 IFAC 12666Hosting by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Peer review under responsibility
Copyright © 2017 IFAC of International Federation of Automatic
12666Control.
10.1016/j.ifacol.2017.08.2143
Proceedings of the 20th IFAC World Congress
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and quests. A short overview of these activities is given in Secs.

5-8.
Students of Robotics Center participate in many competitions.
Since 2008 Robotics Center students have been awarded eight
gold, seven silver and six bronze medals for taking part in
International competitions like World Robotics Olympiad and
Robotchallenge and got 42 gold, 29 silver and 22 bronze
medals of the competitions within Russia and some informal
International competitions.

3. ROBOTICS COURSES FOR CHILDREN

The main activity of the Center is teaching schoolchildren

robotics. So there are 21 unique courses, taught in lyceum,
which develop their robotics skills on various levels. All
courses can be divided into four branches: basic robotics, elec-
Fig. 1. Pupil of Robotics Center Pavlenko Daniil preparing for
tronic control systems, programming and applied mechanics.
the football match
Each branch provides specific knowledge and skills and their
combination makes a child a perspective scientists and engi-
neers.
The course hierarchy helps to make a system, where each
student can choose the way to develop and master their robotics
skills step by step. More than 500 schoolchildren study in the
Robotics Center of PML #239 nowadays taught by 21 teachers,
who are programmers, scientists and engineers at the same
time.

3.1 Basic robotics

Of course everything starts with basic robotics courses. Two

of them are based on LEGO Mindstorms NXT and EV3 kits.
Here, during three years of studies schoolchildren are taught
all the basic principles of robotics: from designing mechanical
transmission and calculating its gear ratio to using PID con-
trollers for mobile robots and manipulators. During the first
year of studies children acquire some basic programing skills
with Robolab Software using Lego Mindstorms NXT. Robolab
is a visual programming language and it helps schoolchildren
master programming quickly. Elements of text programming
are gradually introduced during the second year. During the
third year of studies children build robots with LEGO NXT
and EV3 kits and program them with RobotC and even make
some free style robotics projects to participate in conferences
and trade shows. Planning education in thus way as well as a
unique methodology inventions created by the head of Robotics
Center make sophisticated robotics tasks a breathtaking game.
So everyone can study engineering just joining in the fun during
the classes.
There is a Robot soccer course for children who showed that
they are good at basic course and want to go on using LEGO
Mindstorms and to apply some sophisticated control algo-
rithms. It is a course where children are explained how to make
a robot that can compete at WRO football and RoboCupJunior
Soccer challenges. First the course was based on LEGO Mind-
storms kit, but now children have an opportunity to use any kits,
controllers or materials they want.
For those who are keen on making devices be more like people
there is a Humanoid robots course. It is based on using Bioloid
kit and then various principles of making links and joints are
taught. Students make robots, which can dance, walk and even
play sumo game. Figure 2 shows a sumo fight between the
robots made by lyceum.
Fig. 2. Humanoid sumo
Basic Control Theory course is provided for those who are
especially interested in complicated control theory algorithms.
Special attention is paid to the control theory terms and laws
and at the end of the course children can easily make segways
(balancing two wheeled mobile robots with light sensor and
accelerometer), that can move down the line and even climb
hills.
Of course a basic robotics course is widely represented and
many kits are used, as you can see below, but in 2009 we
faced the challenge of needing a more sophisticated robotics kit,
which will meet all the needs. A kit which can be used to teach
school children robotics in an easy way and at the same time
can meet students’ needs, like working with cameras, network
connecting and so on. A group of developers from St.Petersburg
State University (SPbSU) supported by Institute of Problems of
Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Science
(IPME RAS) made Robotics Center’ dreams come true. In the
year 2011 a new company, that later was called “CyberTech”,
designed a cybernetic kit, which is called TRIK(Terekhov et al.,
2012) . It includes a unique controller with Linux OS inside,
various motors and sensors, metal details and even camera.
It uses wide spread interfaces and a huge range of Arduino
compatible sensors can be used with it (Shirokolobov et al.,
2016).
And of course one of the best things about TRIK is its software.
A TRIK Studio (CyberTech, 2011) is a powerful development
tool to program TRIK, LEGO NXT and LEGO EV3 robots
using Javascript, C++ and simple specially designed visual
programming language for children. It is an universal tool, that

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Proceedings of the 20th IFAC World Congress
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Fig. 3. Controller TRIK
makes it possible for young children to build programs with the
help of blocks and for students to program a quadrotor. It also
includes 2D modeling environment which meets educational
needs when studying robotics without real kits. The software
allows making obstacles of various shapes and sizes to let
you robot get oriented and avoid them during traveling. It is
also possible to draw a black line and master tuning of PID
controller or to make a proving ground and solve complex tasks.
Fig. 4. PD controller for linefollowing robot in TRIK Studio
Since 2011 TRIK robotics course has been taught in the Center
and students, who finished the basic course can master their
skills with more sophisticated software and hardware.
Fig. 5. An example of TRIK robot
3.2 Electronic control systems
It should be mentioned that the use of kits has lots of advantages
and meets educational needs. But there often comes a time,
when a young scientist wants to start building robot from
scratch. So to meet these needs, a second largest branch of
robotics is being developed in Robotics Center. An electronic
control systems branch includes 6 courses, that turn a child
into a qualified student of robotics. Among them there are
electronics, BEAM robotics, microcontroller based robotics
(Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.). For example a mini sumo robot is
shown in fig. 6. The robot was made from the scratch by student
Vasiliy Ivanov for robotics competitions like Robotchallenge
and it has won several robotics challenges in Russia.
12668
Fig. 6. Minisumo robot
3.3 Applied mechanics
There is often a lack of materials, unique details when making
robots. So the branch of applied mechanics, represented by the
courses of 3D modeling and Engineering Design, helps children
make their dreams come true. During the course of studies
pupils study the basic principles of geometry, designing in CAD
systems like Autodesk Inventor or Kompas 3D. So whenever
you need you can make a 3D model of any detail and print
it out immediately on a 3D printer or cut it out on a laser
cutting machine, which are located in the lyceum. Moreover,
during the course of Engineering Design children are taught
how to prepare all necessary technical papers for their robots:
descriptions, structural schemes and schematic diagrams.
3.4 Programming
Programming is the last but not least branch of education. The
branch is represented with some classical courses like program-
ming in Pascal and in C++ for robots. But the branch also
includes smartphone programming in Java, where children are
taught how to add to any robot a means of communication with
a smartphone. Using it as a multifunctional sensor, children
can solve various tasks with minimum additional elements.
The most fascinating courses are Air race and Technical vision
and navigation courses. Those children who are fond of pro-
gramming complicated stabilizing algorithms in 3 dimensional
space start exploring computer vision and navigation principles.
Under the guidance of Denis Nikitin and Daniil Vedenin, the
winners of Air Race competition of Robotchallenge 2014-2015
contests, children achieve amazing results.
4. ROBOTICS FOR TEACHERS
As it was mentioned in the previous section, the main activity of
the Center is teaching schoolchildren robotics. But making this
activity large-scale all over the country is a complicated task. It
all started in 2008 when the first robotic course was opened and
in 2009 the first robotics course for teachers started. Now the
Center annually provides five types of courses for adults: basic
robotics LEGO NXT, extended robotics (LEGO NXT/EV3),
TRIK, Electronics and microcontrollers, 3D modelling.
These courses are taught in the Lyceum #239 and take 48 hours.
Each course ends up with the final examination task, where
teachers show their best and get an experience, which then
can be passed on to their students. All courses are open and
Proceedings of the 20th IFAC World Congress
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Fig. 7. TRIK course students
free of charge. Everybody is welcome to join the community
and broadcast robotics. Moreover there are two massive online
courses (MOOCs), which take place twice a year. One of
them is held with St. Petersburg National Research University
of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO
University) and the other one with the Lektorium.tv project.
The basic robotics courses (live and online) describe the whole
background of Robotics Center PML#239 and teach education
methods that are used there.
Since 2011 the book (Filippov, 2013) has been the most widely
used robotics book among all those who deal with school
robotics in Russia. The book teaches children the begins of how
to become a skilled robotics student and achieve good results.
Robotics Center courses for adults prepare about 100 new
teachers of robotics every year. Hundreds of people pass the
MOOCs and become teachers. So it is obvious that each year
the number of people interested in robotics grows up and so it
quickly spreads all over the country.
5. ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS
To make the community of specialists in robotics it is necessary
to provide their networking in a real life. And it is impossi-
ble to make without constant competitions, that are focused
on methodological support of educational process. So now
Robotics Center organizes four robotics competitions a year.
In a brief, the types of competitions are as follows:
• Line Follower ( Basic Line, Narrow Line)
The task of a robot is to move autonomously down the
black line as quickly as possible. There are two types of
lines and two categories for robots made of educational
kits, like LEGO and for self made robots.
• Line - Pro
The contest is an extension of the Line Follower task.
The only difference is that line is not continuous any more
and is made of dots, slashes etc.
Fig. 8. Participants prepairing for the contest
• Relay Race
12669
In a five minutes time robots of the same team drive the
maximum number of laps along the line. They are to pass
a relay baton every lap in the exchange zone.
• Segway Race
Two-wheeled self-balancing autonomous robots (seg-
ways) move down the line climbing hills and overcoming
obstacles. The aim is to show the fastest time and to stay
balancing till the end.
• Legged robots marathon
The objective of this contest is to design a legged
robot to travel along a track by either walking, running
or hopping.
• Sumo (Lego Sumo, Mini Sumo, Micro Sumo, Humanoid
sumo)
Just like the traditional Japanese sport, the combating
robots are to try to force each other out of the ring. The
competition is organized into various size classes.
• Robot Soccer
In the Robot soccer challenge teams of two autonomous
mobile robots compete in matches. They must look for an
infrared-light-emitting ball and try to score into special
gates. Robots are required to be fully autonomous.
• Maze: there and back again
The aim is to explore an unknown maze, remember it
and to follow the shortest path during the attempt from the
start to the set point and backwards.
• Humanoid Sprint
The humanoid robot should pass a corridor as fast as
possible. The robot in this type of competition is a two-
legged walking humanoid capable of moving its center of
mass in order to maintain balance while walking.
• Air Race
Quadrotors have to fly above eight shape figure as
many laps as it is possible. The robot has to demonstrate
its ability to maneuver quickly and accurately in three
dimensions.
• Corridor Rally
Four-wheeled autonomous vehicles take part in com-
petition. Each of them has rear- or front-wheel drive and
a steering front wheel. The competition consists of two
stages. At the first stage the robot passes through the
track from start to finish without touching the wall. At
the second stage two robots compete with each other. The
quickest one, who reaches the finish line first wins.
• RTC Cup: (Seeker, Extremal, Mini)
In RTC Cup Challenge the robot passes through the
proving ground within the specified time. The proving
ground is a reconfigurable obstacle course, a maze, made
of cells. The maze is made to resemble different indoor
and outdoor terrains and obstacles, for search and rescue
scenarios. Each cell has an unique task and robots have to
pass through them without being damaged.
• Freestyle category (Elementary, Junior, Senior)
In this category participants are encouraged to demon-
strate their robotic creations. There are no restrictions - the
only limit is their own imagination.
Special attention should be paid to the process of judg-
ing the category, which besides a professional adult judg-
ing team includes the following:
· peer estimation by the participants themselves
Elementary high category judges the senior high
category, junior high - the elementary, senior high -
the junior high.
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· making an brief and vivid announcement during a

poster session
· writing reviews for the team of the same category
· promoting the other project
At the end of the contest each team gets a printed
review from the judges with a professional overview of
the abilities and perspectives of their project.
All the activities are a great fun and children participate
with great enthusiasm.
• Practical Robotics Olympiad (Junior High)
At the beginning of this category all participants receive
special robotics tasks that they solve within the specified
time.
The list of competitions gets extended every year. There always
appear new challenges to stimulate robotics students for a new
wins.
6. ROBOFINIST FESTIVAL
Fig. 10. Participants of summer robotics camp
8. ROBOQUEST
One of the most entertaining events of the year is the winter
Roboquest. It is a short game, that takes part after New Year
holidays and lasts for a day. Children from Robotics Center
joined in groups of six are welcomed to take a breathtaking
costumed quest into a fantasy robotics world. Each quest has its
own legend and history. All the participants prepare three robots
and passing through 12 robotics activities during a limited time
they have to get scores to save the planet from various invaders.
The Roboquest 2015 theme was The Secret of the Third Planet
story written by Kir Bulychov and Roboquest 2016 theme
was Star Wars. Robotics sumo battles against droid attacks,
princess rescues and quadrotor wars against Darth Vader made
the robotics competition real fun.

9. COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITIES

9.1 St.Petersburg State University

It should be mentioned that the activities of the Robotics Center

are always supported by universities. As it is described in an
article (Filippov et al., 2011) St.Petersburg State University
Fig. 9. A lecture by Professor Alexander Fradkov during the (SPbSU) was the first University the Center started collabo-
Robofinist 2014 festival ration with. Since 2008 Professor Alexander L. Fradkov has
been encouraging school robotics development on every stage.
Since 2014 a huge Open International Robotics Festival Robofin- “Cyberphysical Laboratory”, that started in September 2008
ist has been organized and all people, who are keen on robotics was the first common project. Later the type of competition
from all over the world come to St.Petersburg in September to called “Operator based robot soccer” was organized with the
participate. The festival is a real fun for children and a great help of the chair of Mathematics and Mechanics of SPbSU
opportunity for adults to keep in touch with the most innovative during the first open robotics competition. Since that time the
robotics streams. The festival lasts for two days and includes soccer is in top 3 most popular types of competitions among
about 30 types of competition, workshops from partners and schoolchildren. The research value of the task for students is
demonstrations of the top robotics projects. During the festival obvious: knowledge of control theory, mechanics and computer
a huge education robotics symposium, lectures from the best vision can be applied to solve the task. And at the same time
control engineering scientists and a round table take place. A the competition suits schoolchildren, too. They can participate
huge exchange of experience takes place there and it stimulates in making a robot and a joystick with the help of LEGO kit. And
the fast development of robotics society. of course, as it was mentioned in Sec. 3.1, a group of students
from SPbSU supported by Institute of Problems of Mechanical
7. ROBOCAMP
Engineering Russian Academy of Science made the cybernetic
It is just physically impossible for a child to develop in so TRIK kit and the TRIK Studio development environment.
many fields of robotics during the academic year. That is why
9.2 ITMO University
one of the most effective events during the year is the summer
robotics camp. It has been organized since July 2011 and has
The next University the Center started collaboration with was
proved to be an accelerator that quickly improves children’
St.Petersburg State University of Information Technologies,
robotics skills. About 200 pupils and 40 teachers of robotics
Mechanics and Optics (ITMO University). The dean of the
from all over the country join together during three weeks
School of Computer Technologies and Controls Alexey A.
time. Each week a child can take a course and the experience
Bobtsov advised his students to attend courses for teachers and
shows that one week at the camp is equal to semester of the
since that time dozens of schools in St.Petersburg have ITMO
academic year. 20 courses taught by Robotics Center teachers,
University students as teachers of robotics.
assisted by nonresident specialists, six or eight classes a day,
workshops and competitions at the end of the week speed up Moreover, ITMO University organizes the Festival of Mecha-
the development and make the community of the specialists on tronics and Robotics (Festival M&R). The festival always in-
robotics united and progressing. cludes show of the most innovative university students designs

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and also a robotics competition, where schoolchildren are wel-
come to participate. So it is a great opportunity for children
to get closer to student robotics life and their technological
activities.
And last, but not least, as was mentioned in Sec. 4, is that ITMO
University and the head of Robotics Center organized online
robotics courses, which now are widely used by schoolchildren
during their homework, by teachers of robotics and all enthusi-
asts.
Another activity, that should be mentioned about ITMO is
All-Russian Congress of Young Scientists. The largest part
of the conference is organized for students, but there is a
special school section and section of control systems, where
schoolchildren’ projects are welcome and usually achieve best
results.
who can not imagine themselves without engineering grows up
day by day. Each year hundreds of new robotics classes appear
all over the country and dozens of organizations that teach
children for free become partners of Robofinist project. There
are not so many people now, who have received this complex
robotics education in Robotics Center and the universities, but
those who did show outstanding results and get good jobs.
For example, four students of the first robotics courses are
now lead engineers in unmanned aerial vehicle, navigation
system, aerospace instrumentation and technical equipment
design companies. They are already very skillful and highly
demanded engineers despite they are under 23.
11. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work was supported by Government of Russian Federation
(grant 074-U01) and by the Ministry of Education and Science
of Russian Federation (project 14.Z50.31.0031).

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