Although robotics is still far from being developed in other parts of the world, it is progressing step by step in Cuba.
Intermediate students of IT technicians in the province of Ciego de Ávila enter this specialization thanks to the inauguration of a laboratory with equipment donated by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO).
It is the 24th facility of its kind on the island. Cuban education authorities are using them to encourage interest in automation among young people through the Young Computers and Electronics Club, according to official sources.
The idea, at least for now, is to start small, with the equipment and resources available.
“The project does not seek to create sophisticated robots, something that would require much more technology and investment of resources,” he assured the newspaper. Intruder Ramón Carrazana, Director of the Joven Club in Ciego de Ávila.
In fact, the official explained that the little robots, donated by UNESCO, are quite simple even though they are from the first world.
“They go on foot, return, avoid collision with walls, follow the route indicated by the programmer. “Guys are still learning how to do it, but it’s relatively easy,” he explained.
From school to production
The intent of this program, according to Carrazana, is to connect students with robotics knowledge for their subsequent application with available technologies.
In this sense, it is planned to create a “knowledge network around robotics” with the participation of Etecsa, the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, the Meteorological Center, the local university and the Union of Computer Scientists of Cuba.
By the way, assured the national director of the club Joven José Carlos Cruz grandma that the intention is for the country’s 24 existing robotics laboratories to be linked to so-called “productive poles”.
Is robotics coming to Cuban schools?
However, according to Duniesky Dort, president of the Union of Computer Scientists of Cuba in Ciego de Ávila, the goal so far is only for high school technical students to understand the basics of programming and how robotics works.
“Right now we obviously have no intention of building robots in Ciego de Ávila or getting a big autonomous machine that harvests bananas on La Cuba. Nothing from this. But we hope to ensure that the boys understand the basics of robotics programming and operation, that they learn more about this field of knowledge,” he noted.
Robots for agriculture?
Dorta lamented that the province currently has “very well-qualified professionals in their sectors, but they do not see the huge opportunities for automation and automation that exist”.
Therefore, for the manager, it is “important that students develop a broader idea of the usefulness of robotics and promote it in their workplaces after graduation.”
In this way, according to him, it could benefit the future development of the economy in Ciego de Ávila and especially agriculture, which is the most important economic activity in the territory.
“It is the first step on the long road of productive development: from relatively simple problems such as land management, linking industries and processing climate and hydraulic information, to other problems that might seem extremely remote to us today, such as like smart agriculture and the use of drones,” he said.
Today, the project is of benefit only to intermediate technical students. However, it is expected to be extended to other levels of education such as elementary or university.
According to the national director of the Joven Club, all provinces have a robotics and automation laboratory similar to the one in Ciego de Ávila. Even territories like Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Villa Clara have more than one.
The results of this initiative will have their first measurement in December of this year, when the IV is being held in Cuba. a national competition in robotics, in which teams from other countries are expected to participate.
