Robo STEAM – Inclusive Technologies: Erasmus+ Project Meetings

First Meeting – Gotse Delchev University, Stip, North Macedonia

The first meeting of the “Robo STEAM – Inclusive Technologies” project under Erasmus+ took place on March 3–4, 2023, at the Faculty of Computer Sciences, Gotse Delchev University in Stip, North Macedonia. Representatives from all partner organizations attended the meeting:

• IICT – BAS, Bulgaria (Coordinator)
• “Akad. Sergey Korolyov” High School of Mathematics and Natural Studies (Bulgaria)
• Professional High School of Electronics and Automation (Bulgaria)
• Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Bulgaria)
• University of the Aegean (Greece)
• Municipality of Syros-Ermoupolis (Greece)
• University of Barcelona (Spain)
• Goce Delchev State University Stip (North Macedonia)
• SOU Kiro Spandzov Brko (North Macedonia)

The primary objective of this meeting was to unite all partners to discuss their roles and responsibilities within the project. The project aims to develop a robot that will be placed in museums in Sofia, Greece, and Spain. This robot will assist teachers and students by allowing them to view museum exhibits in real time and interact with curators for additional information. The initiative seeks to bring creativity and digital innovation into classrooms.

Second Meeting – University of the Aegean, Ermoupoli, Greece

The second project meeting was held from September 4–6, 2023, at the University of the Aegean, Department of Product and Systems Design, in Ermoupoli, Syros, Greece. The focus of this session was to review the progress of all partners and set new tasks and objectives.

During the meeting, Prof. Nayden Chivarov and Stefan Chivarov presented a demonstration of the “Robko” robot. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the archaeological and industrial museums in the city, where they explored the potential applications of the robot in enhancing museum experiences.

Third Meeting – IICT-BAS, Sofia, Bulgaria

The third meeting was conducted from April 11–13, 2024, in Sofia, Bulgaria, hosted by the project coordinator IICT-BAS. Prof. N. Chivarov welcomed the project partners from Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, and Spain to the IICT-BAS facilities. During the meeting, partners presented updates on their contributions to the “Robo STEAM – Inclusive Technologies” project.

On April 12, Stefan Chivarov showcased the enhanced functionalities of the “Robko” robot at the National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia, one of the project’s key partners. A guided tour of the museum was organized, highlighting the collaborative efforts between “Robko,” museum guides, and teachers from partner schools.

The Macedonian partners presented the user interface of “Robko,” demonstrating how museums, universities, schools, teachers, and students could register and interact with the system, further expanding the project’s educational reach.