Robots from recycled materials

The future engineers competed with their robot designs at the “Recycled or Nature Inspired Pack of Robots” competition held by Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Faculty of Engineering. Students were inspired by natural creatures, and designed their four, six, or eight-legged robots with paper, metal, plastics.  

13 teams from Bahçeşehir College 50. Yıl Campus, Bahçeşehir Güzelbahçe, Rota Bornova, Rota Gaziemir colleges, and TOBB Bülent Koşmaz Science, Private Aliağa Science High School, Çiğli IMKB Vocational and Technical High School and Izmir Private Tevfik Fikret Science High School attended the contest held for the second time this year.

‘Frog design brought championship’

Private Aliağa Science High School students Burak Çağrı Öztürk and Kaan Engin, under the guidance of their teacher Cansu Güneş Aslan, came in first place with their ‘Miç’ titled design. Öztürk and Engin designed their robots like a frog by using straw, water bottle cap, rubber, and ice cream sticks. While Private Rota Bornova High School students Emir Bora Aştoprak and Tolga Doğan came in second place, the jury award went to Ayşenur Boğa, Berkay Taştan, and Dikmen Berke Seçen, students from Çiğli IMKB Vocational and Technical High School.

‘From theory to practice’

Prof. Dr. Barış Özerdem, Acting Dean of IUE Faculty of Engineering, stated that they aimed to contribute to education of young people in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Özerdem said, “The Faculty has been organizing this competition for two years in order to support students in STEM (Science), (Technology), (Engineering), (Mathematics). Robotics, by nature, is multidisciplinary. Therefore, we prefer robotics especially. This way, students get a chance to increase knowledge and skills in mechanical design, electronic components, and in both software and programming.  We help them to turn their theoretical knowledge into practical knowledge. The youth is our future and we want to train them in this field.”

Prof. Dr. Özerdem stated that the jury members consisted of Prof. Dr. Lale Canan Dülger, Head of IUE Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Şeniz Ertuğrul, Head of IUE Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Assoc. Prof. Yağız Bayraktaroğlu, ITU Department of Mechanical Engineering, Assoc. Prof. Gökhan Kiper, IYTE Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Assoc. Prof. Fehmi Görkem Üçtuğ, Vice Dean of IUE Faculty of Engineering.