Amposta Hosts First Terres de l'Ebre Hackathon for Young Innovators

A social innovation competition brings together primary school students in Amposta to solve real-world challenges in their environment.

Children participating in a social innovation hackathon in Amposta.
IA

Children participating in a social innovation hackathon in Amposta.

Amposta has hosted the first Terres de l'Ebre Hackathon, a social innovation initiative that gathered approximately forty primary school students from the city's educational centers.

The event, held aboard the electric boat La Perla, marks the culmination of work developed throughout the school year using the design thinking methodology, focused on creativity and problem-solving.
The mayor of Amposta, Adam Tomàs, highlighted the importance of such initiatives in helping young people discover the value of creativity and their capacity to tackle real challenges. He also emphasized the role of FabLab Terres de l'Ebre as a hub for innovation and the need to retain emerging talent in the region.
The director of FabLab, Lala Escrivà, explained that the competition was the culmination of the work done in classrooms, with ten finalist teams selected from the best-rated proposals. She thanked the local business community for their collaboration, providing resources, logistical support, and prizes.
The challenge presented to the students was to design a solution to help elderly people put on their shoes without having to bend down, a common mobility-related issue. Participants combined creativity, technology, and practical thinking to develop their ideas.
The winning project, presented by the team Robotitos from Carmelites d'Amposta, featured a system inspired by a robot vacuum cleaner, incorporating voice sensors, robotic mechanisms, and automated clamps to facilitate shoe placement. The proposal was recognized for its originality, functionality, and practical application.