From sleigh to robotics: youth turn “Santa’s car” into a high-tech project
Santa's sleigh has been reimagined by a group of young tech enthusiasts who replaced it with an autonomous vehicle that they built and programmed themselves. In an exciting challenge, 15 teenage robotics enthusiasts worked in teams to create a "Santa's car" that can follow a set route and deliver gifts without mixing up the recipients.
For Vitalie Berzoi, a participant in the competition, the challenge perfectly aligned with his passion for programming, engineering, and artificial intelligence.
"It consists of a microcontroller, which serves as the brain of the entire machine. It also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. We use Wi-Fi, which is powered by two batteries, to control the driver, two wheel motors, and a servo motor that delivers the gifts," explained Vitalie Berzoi.
The young participants noted that while building the vehicle was challenging, the most difficult aspect was programming it to follow a precise route. They utilized modern technologies, such as 3D printing and laser cutting, during the process.
"Before printing anything, I use a tool called a caliper to take measurements and create a model in the app based on the real dimensions. Some components are laser cut, while more complex parts, like the gift-throwing system, are 3D printed," said one of the participants.
Other young people have come up with creative solutions for delivering gifts.
“I’m making a conveyor belt so I can drop the gifts off along the route. At first, it was quite complicated, but over time I got the hang of it, and the job has become easier,” said one participant.
In addition to creativity and technical skills, participants were encouraged to use recyclable materials in their projects.
“It’s great when children try to reuse materials from broken objects or recyclable sources to build the missing pieces,” said Andrian Bocancea, a mentor.
The project coordinators emphasize that this experience is extremely valuable for the young people's future careers.
“Young people are using technologies such as electronics, 3D printing, drones, and robotics. The skills they acquire here at the club are very useful for the careers they are about to pursue,” emphasized Iulian Lungu, the coordinator.
The Young Makers Club is a non-formal education project implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova. The project aims to develop the digital and technical skills of young people.
