The 6th edition of the ‘Experimenta-te’ project took place during the past months of March, April, and May. This project is promoted by the Oeiras City Council and aims to encourage young people to experiment with different artistic and scientific-technological activities related to various fields: Illustration, Photography, Video, Music, Creation and Sewing, Cooking, Game Design and Development, and Build Your Robot for the Future.

Two of the activities were held at the Instituto Superior Técnico – Oeiras Campus: “Game Design and Development” and “Build Your Robot for the Future.” Participants, aged between 13 and 18, had the opportunity to dedicate their Saturdays to science over three months.

The “Game Design and Development” activity was developed by the Game Lab and allowed participants to create a concept for a game, which they later developed in groups throughout the activity. The process followed a methodology similar to the game development courses taught in the Master’s in Computer Science and Engineering. Initially, they focused on defining the game’s idea, considering the target audience, the desired experience, and the main mechanics. Then, they used the Unity game engine to implement the game, developing the main interaction mechanisms. The final phase involved testing to verify objectives and final touches before presentation. Throughout the process, there were theoretical discussions on game design and development, culminating in the creation of a game prototype. “Young people are very curious about how they can recreate games,” explained Carolina Brás, a member of the Game Lab.

The “Build Your Robot for the Future” activity, developed by GAIPS of INESC-ID, had 6 students participating, divided into three teams. The activity aimed to provide participants with some knowledge of robotics, allowing them to get in touch with this field and see if it is something they would like to pursue in the future. The main topics covered in the activity included mechanics, electronics, programming, and some basics of artificial intelligence. The activity was divided into 12 workshops, giving participants the opportunity to build a robot, developing communication and cooperation skills. The sessions were split between an introduction to theoretical knowledge followed by practical tasks on the covered topics. The final project consisted of building a robotic arm capable of recycling household waste. “The participants are performing some tasks independently during the week and are showing a lot of interest and enthusiasm!” reported Ali Kordia, a researcher at GAIPS of INESC-ID.

The final presentation of the 2024 edition of ‘Experimenta-te’ concluded with a demonstration of the developed activities, held at Largo 5 de Outubro in Oeiras on May 26. In a festive atmosphere filled with presentations, Técnico Oeiras was present with six stands. Four of them were dedicated to Game Design, where groups presented their final projects, prototypes of the developed games. The other two stands focused on robotics, programming, and electronics, with a demonstration of the robotic arm. It sorted cans and bottles into the appropriate recycling bins. The participants thus had the opportunity to exhibit and explain their artistic and scientific projects to the public, celebrating creativity and innovation.