Young people from more than 190 countries participated in the competition. In line with this year’s theme, “Eco-equilibrium”, teams were asked to develop technological solutions that contribute to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection.
Inspired by the National Program for Forest Expansion and Reforestation, which envisages the restoration and creation of new forests on an area of 145,000 hectares over 10 years (2023-2032), Moldovan students developed a prototype of a spider robot designed to plant trees on slopes and degraded lands that are difficult to access by humans or agricultural machinery.
The final version includes modular legs for balance, a soil sensing and seeding system, a seed dispenser and semi-autonomous position control.
The international jury praised the Moldovan robot for its sophisticated design and inventive engineering solutions, highlighting the sophisticated gearbox and unique lifting mechanism capable of lifting another robot while playing or working. These features set it apart from its competitors, once again earning Moldova recognition for innovation and technical excellence.
The team will now look for money to refine the prototype into a production model and to fund a startup that will allow the model to become a reality and be used in concrete work. If this task is successfully accomplished, Moldova may see the production of robotic spiders not only for the domestic market, but also for export.
