This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
It all began during a lunch break at the school cafeteria. When Efe, holding his sandwich, asked Ufuk, “Should we join TEKNOFEST?” we had no idea we were embarking on such a serious journey. We were four. Among us, Arda and I had long been interested in technology, but entering a project competition—especially one as large as TEKNOFEST—required more than just interest; it demanded patience, hard work, and determination. We committed ourselves wholeheartedly to this path, yet we were not alone… When we brought this idea to our teacher, Mr. Halil, his eyes lit up. “We can do it, kids. But this won’t be easy,” he said. And we didn’t want it to be easy. If it was hard, then it would truly be worth it.
Team photo
When we thought about what to build, robotics came to mind first. We could solder, use Arduino, and even tinkered a bit with a 3D printer. But we didn’t just imagine a robot that moved—we envisioned a robot that could do work. Thus our idea was born: a robot controlled by a remote, equipped with a robotic arm.
We immediately rolled up our sleeves. In our first prototype, the robot could only turn left, not right. When Efe said, “Look, it doesn’t turn right, but it can turn left infinitely—maybe we can solve this with reverse logic!” we all burst into laughter. But the truth was, we had connected one of the wires backward. That day we learned that engineering is also about learning through mistakes.
The biggest challenge in building the robotic arm was the motors not working in sync. When one spun quickly, the other would stall, either flinging the object away or failing to lift it at all. Days of trials, reprogramming, and late-night YouTube videos followed… But when our robot finally managed to pick up a small plastic cup and place it back down, we celebrated as if we had won an Olympic medal.
One day during a test, the robot went out of control and hit Efe’s foot. At that moment, Ufuk asked, “Bro, can the arm grab our hands?” Mr. Halil laughed and said, “As long as you don’t stick your heads in, the robotic arm won’t love you,” sending us all into fits of laughter. These moments turned our project into more than just a technical endeavor—it became a human journey.
We didn’t just want to compete at TEKNOFEST with this project. What we truly wanted was to turn what we had learned into a tangible product. Perhaps one day, our robot’s advanced version could become a factory robot or a device delivering remote assistance in disaster zones. Who knows? But most importantly, this project taught us what it means to be a team, to practice patience, and to never give up. We felt firsthand how valuable even the smallest progress becomes when it is achieved through our own effort.
Chasing an Idea: Our Journey with the Ufuk-Efe-Arda-Halil Team at TEKNOFEST
The Remote Control Is in Our Hands, the Dreams Are on the Way
We Learned Together, We Overcame Together
What Was Our Goal? Not Just to Compete…