Today, Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 13:00, the online press conference / official presentation of the Robot “ZOIVOT” was held by the Association of Parents and Guardians of the Municipality of Chalkidona, Thessaloniki, the Eugenidou Foundation and the National Center for Research and Development.
ZOIVOT is a robot created in Greece and aims to bring – in a smart way – the student body of Primary Schools in contact with Robotics and Programming.
It was manufactured by CERTH / IPTIL and is a Donation of the Eugenides Foundation to the Association of Parents and Guardians of the Municipality of Chalkidona, Thessaloniki.
Introducing ZOIVOT, Ms. Stella Valsamaki, President of the Association of Parents of Primary & Secondary Education of the Municipality of Chalkidona, Thessaloniki, stressed that “educational robotics, based on the principles of construction, is a modern educational tool, which is possible to bring multiple benefits to the learning process.
One of these benefits is the development of learning motivation of those involved in the learning process.
The motivations are strengthened, through active participation and cooperation, in activities that concern authentic problems and are of interest to those involved “.
He continued that “in this context, our Union had the idea to create a robot that will visit our Primary Schools and on the occasion of a current issue (currently COVID-19) will interact with children and bring them to a first contact with robotics and programming.
Our idea was embraced by the Eugenidou Foundation, contributing to its implementation with the relevant donation. The robot, ZOIVOT as we christened it, was created entirely in Greece, by the National Center for Research and Technological Development CERTH / IPTIL, here in Thessaloniki “.
As mentioned by Ms. Valsamaki, “ZOIVOT will visit Primary Schools – primarily of the Municipality and not only. The team of the Association of Parents of Primary & Secondary Education of the Municipality of Chalkidona will visit the schools together with ZOIVOT and so the robot will interact with the children and will inform them about the measures we must all follow to keep COVID- 19 as far away from us as possible.
On the occasion of this information, the children will come in contact with a robot for the first time. At the same time, the students will have the opportunity to watch via video an introductory educational program to get acquainted with robotics, created exclusively for ZOIVOT by the Science and Technology Center of the Eugenides Foundation “.
Interested teachers will be able to contact Ms. Valsamaki at 6955 169300, so that ZOIVOT’s visit to their school can be scheduled. ZOIVOT’s visit to Primary Schools is free.
Mr. Dimitrios Giakoumis, a researcher at IPTIL, described the development process of the ZOIBOT robot.
ZOIVOT was built by the robotics laboratory of CERTH | IPTIL and is a moving robot with humanoid characteristics, which recognizes the human activity around it and behaves in response to it. More specifically, using artificial intelligence methods, he recognizes the existence of students around him and reminds them of the basic protection measures that must be followed at school to avoid the transmission of the coronavirus.
It has been created entirely in Greece, while the outer shell has been printed by CERTH | IPTIL on a 3D printer.
Afterwards, Dr. Valia Lyratzi, Head of the Science and Technology Center of the Eugenides Foundation, spoke, referring to the introductory educational presentation entitled “LIFE: my first Robot”, which will accompany LIFE in its visits to schools. The key elements mentioned in the presentation are the following:
What are robots and where did they come from? Examples are given of robots in the Science and Technology Center, as well as others on the market.
Presentation of important applications of robots. There are several examples of real robots that are on the market and it is mentioned where they find application.
What are the main components of robotic systems and what is the use of each of them.
Description of ZOIVOT. The basic elements of which it consists are identified. It mentions the way it works and how it interacts with children.
Continuing her presentation, Valia Lyratzi referred to the importance of children ‘s familiarity with science and technology, as well as their connection with their daily activities.
This is one of the goals of the educational programs of the model Science and Technology Center of the Eugenides Foundation, which in the current period, offers more than 30 different educational programs (workshops or experimental demonstrations) aimed at the last grades of primary school and the Secondary education, but also to individual visitors and draw their topics from the fields of science, technology and robotics.
The press conference was coordinated by Eleftheria Teleioni, Donation Officer of the Eugenides Foundation, who referred to the long tradition of donations of the Eugenides Foundation to programs that are in line with its purpose, namely the contribution to technical and scientific education.
You can watch the entire online press conference through the Eugenides Foundation’s YouTube channel.
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