Given the widespread automation of production, robotics is one of the most dynamically developing industries in the world. According to Market Research Future, by 2030 the volume of the global robotics market will reach over 200 billion US dollars, and annual growth will exceed 22%.
Therefore, nowadays to engage in robotics is not only fashionable, but also profitable. Every year, thousands of children around the world attend robotics engineering clubs, which work both in secondary schools and at private centers.
In Kazakhstani schools, the subject "Robotics" has not yet been introduced into the education system, it is mainly taught as the additional classes in electives. But definitely over the past few years, interest in robotic modeling among young Kazakhstanis has grown significantly.
Classes on the creation of robots are held in special laboratories, where children feel like real designers and engineers. According to the robotics coach, and head of the laboratory of engineering and technical creativity and IT of the NIS of Almaty Bekzat Inkarov, the main thing is children's interest in robots and then training will be for them as a game.
"Acquaintance with robotics begins with the 7th grade. To attend the club, the student needs to pass a special test. At first, schoolchildren are taught basic things, namely the Lego EV3 constructor. This is the most popular basic training kit for robotics classes. Thanks to the use of a simple constructor, the child quickly learns elementary technical principles. After the student has learned to model and program robots, he can take part in team competitions in robotics," Bekzat said.
Bekzat is a graduate of Suleyman Demirel University, he studied computer engineering and software, he has been engaged in pedagogical work for five years. During this short period, he prepared winners of international robotics competitions.
"I showed interest in robotics in my youth. While studying at the university, I was engaged in microelectronics, worked with 3D printers. The specificity of my profession is not only to use the equipment, but also to create something new. To design a robot you must fully know how all the sensors work, all its microelectronics, you need to know well such a science as mechatronics.
It is also important to be able to cut out the parts themselves, for this we use either a laser machine or a milling machine. Here we already need knowledge in the field of 2D modeling. If we create a more complex object, its details must be rendered in 3D format. After assembling the robot, there is a stage of its programming, then there is a testing of the model for the presence of software errors, and directly run-in, "says Bekzat.
Members of the robotics club actively participate in competitions, not only within Kazakhstan, but also around the world. To prepare for the competition, the children thoroughly study the rules by which the competition will be held, and what requirements are imposed on future robots. When designing robots, young roboticists analyze the existing models in the world, then relying on them, create their own creations.
A special success is considered when it is possible to improve the available versions, but this is already the highest aerobatics in school robotics.
"To create small Lego robots, a team of 2-3 participants is enough, larger models require up to 10 developers. Each team has a captain, he directly maintains direct communication with the leader. The team must have a designer and a programmer," says Bekzat Inkarov.
Before the competition, when the robot has successfully passed the test , it is once again tested. The coach of the team helps the guys only in cases where they cannot cope on their own, but this happens rarely. Competitive robotics has its secrets, just like sports. For example, before the tournament, it is important for each team to study the opponents, understand their tactics and on the basis of this develop their own strategy.
Robotics, like ordinary school subjects, have their own levels of complexity, respectively, it depends on the age of students.
Since 2016, the pupils of Bekzat Inkarov began to reach the international level in competitive robotics. We took part in such tournaments as VEX, FRC, International Olympiad (WRO) and others. In 2016 in Moscow, the team took 1st and 2nd place at the international competition Robofest. In 2017-2018 in Thailand, at the VEX competitions, the guys took first place.
Among the major achievements the successful performance at the world stage of VEX could be noted, where Kazakhstani schoolchildren entered the playoffs of 400 teams from around the world. In addition, the guys won all the republican competitions in the VEX IQ and VEX EDR programs among junior and senior schoolchildren, respectively. Of recent major achievements: two first places in the UK at this year's FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) engineering competition.
"In Kazakhstan, robotics began to actively develop only 6 years ago. We can say that we are now only at the beginning of the journey. In addition, not all schools in the country have the subject of robotics and not even in all NIS it is implemented. Only three schools in the republic are equipped with such large laboratories as ours. Here, children can design robots every day," says Bekzat Inkarov.
According to the trainers, robotics affects the choice of the future profession, since when assembling robots, students receive useful technical skills. Children master knowledge from the field of mechatronics, programming. So they choose the future profession of programmers, designers, there are guys who launch their startups. Some, being still students, take orders as freelancers, create websites and mobile applications.
"We have graduates who work in large IT companies in the country. In fact, our guys leave school with the level of knowledge of second-year students of universities of IT specialties. Many enter engineering specialties in the top universities in the world, now three are studying at Harvard, "Bekzat shares his successes.
Among the useful qualities from robotics classes that coaches highlight: the ability to work in a team, knowledge of technology, mastery of programming, design and modeling.
Now in the world to study robotics has become much easier and more interesting. Educational programs for children from 4 years old have been introduced. It all starts with a love for the usual Lego brick. All this allows children to understand and master robotics very quickly.