Robotics Competition Sparks Teenagers’ Interest in Technology

The 5th KNAPP RoboLeague featured around 40 robots built out of LEGO pieces by 100 students who were challenged to solve tricky tasks in different categories. The robotics competition offers middle school and high school students a way to have fun while preparing for the digital future and collaboration between humans and machines.

On May 24, 2023, students once again had the opportunity to put their abilities to the test at the annual KNAPP RoboLeague in Hart bei Graz, Austria. 40 teams of students from the regions Styria and Carinthia participated in the robotics competition, which tested competitors in in five different categories. The robots used in the challenges were built by the students themselves in class beforehand and given the finishing touches during the competition at KNAPP. Certificates and vouchers for the cinema were awarded to the winning teams from the BG/BRG/BORG Köflach, BRG Petersgasse, BRG Kepler and Mittelschule Semriach schools.

Qualified personnel in robotics and automation

From the robotic lawn mower to the industrial robot in car manufacturing – it is hard to imagine our lives today without robots. However, where robots are needed, skilled workers are also a must. Today, there is unmet demand in the job market for qualified robotic specialists. As an expert in automation and robotics, KNAPP has been a dedicated partner of the competition since its founding. Wolfgang Skrabitz, Managing Director at KNAPP Industry Solutions, is convinced that RoboLeague is positively affecting young people: “KNAPP is particularly keen to spark teenagers’ and especially girls’ interest in technology so that they will be inspired to enter a technical apprenticeship program or to pursue a university degree in a technical field. In intralogistics, the technologies of the future are robotics, automation and digitalization, but the lack of qualified personnel in these areas is more pressing than ever. We know that tomorrow’s robotics experts are in school today.”

More girl power in tech

KNAPP is eager to promote girls and women with a passion for technology. For this reason, KNAPP is a founding member of the MINTality Foundation to support women in pursuing an exciting career in mathematics, informatics, natural sciences or technology (MINT). With RoboLeague, KNAPP is encouraging young women to engage with technology.

KNAPP RoboLeague – a fun introduction to robotics

The KNAPP RoboLeague is a competition directed at middle and high school students from different schools in the regions of Styria and Carinthia. For their homemade robots, the students have the choice of using the LEGO® Mindstorms NXT or EV3 basic set models, or building a robot themselves from scratch (open hardware). The youngsters use a code-based programming language to program their robots. The goal of the competition is to have their robots solve tricky tasks, which they prepare for beforehand in class with their teachers. The robotics competition was founded in 2017 in collaboration with the BRG Kepler school and serves as the perfect introduction for young talents to other robotics competitions such as the RoboCup Junior and the RoboCup.

Mre about this topic under Student Robotics Competition I KNAPP