Winner of innovation contest in Romania develops speech therapy robot for children

The Roboped team from the Regina Maria National Pedagogical College in Ploiești won the third edition of the Solve for Tomorrow innovation contest organized by Samsung Electronics Romania after developing a prototype of a speech therapy robot that aims to solve speech deficiencies in children aged 5 to 8 years.

The winner was chosen after facing a panel of judges that included Marinica Stoian (Inspector General, Ministry of Education), Laura Aldea (Corporate Communication and Citizenship Manager, Samsung Electronics Romania), Loredana Poenaru (Education Director, Junior Achievement Romania), Sorin Sfetcu (Industry Manager, Google Romania), Vlad Craioveanu (CEO & Co-Founder Impact Hub Bucharest), and Camelia Eremia (Client Service Director, MSL The Practice).

"Solve for Tomorrow is an initiative through which we aim to show that together we are building the future, idea by idea. The involvement and creativity of the students participating in the third edition of the competition confirm, for the third year in a row, that education and innovation combined with technology are the keys to a better future for us all," stated Simona Panait, marketing director Romania and Bulgaria, Samsung Electronics Romania.

With the prototype robot, the Roboped team wanted to support the development of children's communication skills by making them feel understood. Children with speech difficulties often feel left behind by their peers, not to mention the fact that may have a hard time communicating.

The second prize went to the Feel the Energy team from the Alexandru Odobescu National College in Pitești. The team developed the concept of an eco-platform involving the redesign of an abandoned oil platform with the installation of photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and sea turbines.

Finally, the third prize went to the STS Danubius team, coming from the Costache Negri National College in Galați. They developed a prototype of a vessel that will help environmental efforts by collecting waste found at sea.

Prizes for this edition of the Solve for Tomorrow contest consisted of Samsung equipment worth almost EUR 19,500.

The Solve for Tomorrow 2023-2024 edition included a total of 312 entries at the national level and 24 finalist projects. The contest has been held in approximately 23 countries around the world, with over 1.8 million student participants.

(Photo source: press release)