There will be 73 teams from all over the peninsula that will compete in the Nao Challenge Italia whose final will be hosted by the Golinelli Foundation of Bologna on 23 and 24 May 2015 at the School of Ideas (Volttone del Podestà, 1/N)
A total of 340 boys and girls, aged 15 to 18, coming from 45 secondary schools in our country. From Trento to Pachino (Syracuse), from Senorbì (Cagliari) to Alessano (Lecce), Emilia Romagna and Veneto are the most represented regions (19 and 18 teams respectively), followed by Sicily, Liguria and Tuscany. There are 43 teams belonging to industrial technical institutes, 25 to scientific high schools, 4 to a professional institute, 1 to an economic technical institute.
What is Nao Challenge
Nao Challenge is a robotics competition involving five European countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom), organized by the French company Aldebaran Robotics. Designed for secondary schools, the competition is dedicated to the programming of Nao, the humanoid, autonomous and programmable robot that has all the requisites to become a companion and collaborator at home and at work. Nao Challenge Italia is organized by the School of Robotics of Genoa (Nao Challenge Ambassador) and by the Golinelli Foundation of Bologna. The teams registered for the Nao Challenge are called to practice on the Nao simulator software in the competition and then download the elaborated programs onto the physical robot. Among the objectives of the educational project is the increase in awareness of the use of robots, especially humanoids. The challenge was conceived in collaboration with teachers and thanks to this project, students from all over Italy will be able to deal with innovative and revolutionary tools, acquiring skills and abilities usually neglected in the school world.
What is Nao Robot
Nao is a humanoid robot designed and manufactured by Aldebaran. It is used in environments where it is important to foster interaction between humans and autonomous machines. Nao is employed in robotics research, teaching with children, elderly care and special needs education. It is a great tool to promote and reinforce science learning. Today, Europe is engaged in an important challenge: to promote computer literacy for all. The campaigns of the European Commission dedicated to the Digital Agenda indicate Europe's concern and commitment towards the achievement of the Horizon2020 objectives: reduce early school leaving, increase and promote high-tech jobs, retrain professions, promote interest scientific especially among girls, teach programming elements to all.
The race
Students will be able to virtually program Nao using the Webots software and then test it on the humanoid robot during the final event. Nao Challenge Italia provides a simulation within a domestic environment. The robot is an integral part of the house and helps its inhabitants to live better.
The scenario in which the participants will make Nao live is the living room of the house, on a Saturday without parents: the grown-ups are out, while the children play in the hall. The challenge in which the students will have to try their hand is divided into five tests:
- 1. PLAY WITH ME
A little boy is playing with Nao in the living room. The goal is to imagine, design and program an interactive game in which Nao plays with or against the child.
- 2. MOVIE TIME
Nao is in the living room, a child arrives to watch television. Nao recognizes the boy among the five family members, asks him questions about his tastes and mood and, in the end, offers him several films to choose from. After the child has chosen, Nao plays the movie on the remote computer.
- 3. LET'S PARTY
The teams must design and develop a mechatronic system for Nao to control the room's lighting. The goal is to create a multicolor light controlled by Nao, integrated into the living room.
- 4. SWEETS & TRICKS
Two Naos want to get some candies and some balls from the shelves of a shelf. The goal is to get the two robots to work together so that with the help of a trolley they can reach the highest shelves to get the candies and the lowest one to get the balls.
- 5. ME & YOU
The Nao Challenge @Home is a creative and fun competition. The test "We and you" focuses on creativity, team spirit, animation and interactivity with the community.
Awards
The Women's Award
The Nao Challenge @Home encourages girls to participate and become high-tech experts. The team made up exclusively of girls who, adding up the results of the 5 tests, obtains the highest score wins the Women's Prize.
The Grand Prix
The team that obtains the most bridges by adding the results of the 5 tests wins the Grand Prix and wins the Nao Evolution robot.
