Between 17 and 19 December, the Oeiras Campus of Instituto Superior Técnico hosted the GaloBot activity, organised by Rob9-16, which challenged young participants to develop an electronic tic-tac-toe game using Arduino.

Over the course of three days, participants were introduced to fundamental concepts of programming and electronics through a practical and accessible approach. The activity included programming the game logic, assembling circuits with LEDs, buttons, resistors and a breadboard, and the opportunity to play either against the computer or against other participants using the system they had built.

According to Martins Jesus, a student of Electronic Engineering and GaloBot monitor, the programme was structured progressively: “On the first day we worked on programming, on the second day on assembling the electronic circuit, and on the last day there were more playful activities to consolidate what had been learnt”. He also highlighted the participants’ engagement: “They were committed and showed enthusiasm throughout the activity”.

António, aged 12, participated in the initiative and highlighted his interest in programming. “I liked the programming part the most. It was different and I want to take part again”. Francisco, aged 9, emphasised both the programming and electronics learning experience. “The atmosphere was very good, it was fun and I want to do it again”.

The activity was designed to be inclusive and stimulating, even for participants with no prior experience in Arduino or electronics, reinforcing early contact with fields such as engineering, programming and technology.

Rob9-16 is a robotics club of Instituto Superior Técnico aimed at children and young people aged between 9 and 16, with the goal of providing hands-on educational experiences and fostering interest in scientific and technological fields from an early age.