During guided tours to INRTU, schoolchildren learnt how a robot manipulator works and what a laser tracker measures

On October 20, INRTU staff conducted guided tours of its laboratories for schoolchildren. The event was included in the agenda of the National Festival "Nauka0+"

According to information of Daria Ruleva, head of department of development of research and entrepreneurial activity of students, the university was visited by 26 schoolchildren. The children are studying under additional programmes at the "Young Technician's Club" and "Robotics Factory" (Irkutsk) and the Young Technician's Station (Angarsk). Pupils of Education Centre No 47 also applied for the excursion.

Maria Lavrentieva, Associate Professor of Aircraft Engineering and Aircraft Operation Department, taught schoolchildren to work with a laser tracker and to enter the data obtained into a special programme. Maria Lavrentieva showed the children how a robot manipulator works.

The master class interested fifth-grader Gleb Oshchepkov (Irkutsk school No 5). He said that he had been studying graphic design with Krita software and now he is taking a robotics course at the "Young Technician Club":

"Last year we took part in a competition held at INRTU. We built a bridge capable of carrying a heavy load and came in second place. Now our team is creating a sensor to make the robot move along a given trajectory and collect cubes. Maria Vyacheslavovna Lavrentyeva told us how to achieve accuracy using a laser tracker".

Ekaterina Kaneva fr om Irkutsk Polytechnic University explained what researches are carried out by the university together with the Institute of Geochemistry named after A.P. Vinogradov. Scientists study the history of formation and the internal structure of minerals and the optical properties of rocks. Material for the experiments is brought from expeditions. In recent years researchers have visited mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan, conquered Russia's highest point Mount Elbrus, and visited Kamchatka. Ekaterina Kaneva and her colleagues present the results of their experiments at forums in Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg and other cities. The exhibits are stored in the A.V. Sidorov Mineralogical Museum.

The schoolchildren were interested in the opportunity to give a talk at INRTU and take part in themed quests, such as the Museum Night event.

The participants of the excursion got an insight into the analysis of oil and petroleum products using modern equipment. The questions were answered by assistant professor of the Department of Chemical Technology named after N.I. Yaropolov. Georgy Bozhenkov, assistant professor of the N. I. Yaropolov Department of Chemical Technology, answered the children's questions.

The final location was the INRTU Technopark, wh ere the most inquisitive students received prizes.