First Venezuelan edition of the 2023 World Robot Olympiad

Jefferson School of Caracas brought joy to all the school's families again.

The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) is a global robotics competition that challenges young people to design, build, and program robots that can solve real-world problems.

The WRO theme 2023 will connect the world, and the participants learn about digital technology infrastructure and problem-solving skills. The WRO has four categories: Robo Mission, Robo Sports, Future Innovators, and Future Engineers, and each category is composed of Elementary, Junior, and Senior subcategories.

The Future Innovators category is for students aged 16 to 19 who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills and create innovative solutions using robotics.

The teams have to identify a problem related to the theme of connecting the world and propose a business idea that uses robotics to solve it. They must also create a prototype of their robot, a business plan, and a pitch video.

The last national competition round occurred last week at the Venezuelan Science Research Institute in Caracas. Sixty-seven primary, secondary, and university education institutes, public and private, from all over the country competed. There were 380 students between 12 and 19 years old, of which more than 285 were children.

The projects ranged from robots that can monitor and repair underwater cables to robots that can deliver packages using drones to robots that can assist older adults with online services.

Please, Venezuelan parents, join me in celebrating the accomplishment of the Jefferson School's students Arianna Fernández, Sarah Quintana, and Jesús Simancas, who won the first Venezuela edition of the WRO's future Innovators Senior Category and the right to represent Venezuela in the 21st edition of the WRO to take place in Panama from 7th to 9th of November 2023.

The Venezuelan delegation participating in this scientific-technological contest will comprise twenty-four competitors and eight coaches, split into eight teams.

https://wro-association.org/

Their winning project, Salaito (Be Smart, Be Safe, Be Salty), is an autonomous weather and fishing station to carry on any boat. The robotic model allows the measurement of humidity, temperature, and wind speed. Based on the data provided, it calculates other factors, such as the probability of rain.

Salaito's main objective is to provide these values to sailors without relying on secondary sources to guarantee the integrity of the data. I regret I cannot disclose more details about the kids' astonishing invention.

They will compete with teams from over 90 countries who have also qualified through their national competitions. The international final will be an excellent opportunity for them to showcase their talent, learn from other cultures, and network with potential investors and partners.

The WRO is an independent non-profit organization that relies on the support of sponsors who share its mission of promoting robotics in STEM education worldwide. Some of the global sponsors of WRO include Arduino Education, Lego Education, National Instruments, and Juniper Networks. These sponsors provide resources, expertise, and guidance to help WRO enhance its programs and reach more participants. They also offer opportunities for WRO teams to use their products and services in their projects and competitions.

Regional sponsors are also essential in supporting WRO activities in specific countries or regions. For example, the main sponsors in Venezuela are the Venezuelan Science Research Institute (Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, IVIC), which hosts the national competition and provides training and mentoring for WRO teams, and the Venezuelan Ministry of Science and Technology, which will help with the logistics and economic aid required for the kids to represent Venezuela in the international event.

We are very proud of Arianna, Sarah, and Jesús, and we wish them all the best in Panama. They are excellent students and future entrepreneurs who can make a positive impact in the world with their innovative ideas and skills. They inspire all of us who believe in the power of robotics to connect the world.