It is the first time that an Italian team is crowned the winner of the main world science and robotics competition. NASA - the US space agency - had wanted to challenge young scientists from all over the world on the theme "Into orbit". In other words, it was a matter of inventing solutions to improve the living conditions of astronauts in space. So the youths of the "Don Bosco", together with their teachers / trainers, responded with the "Wemit" project, an innovative "space washing machine" designed to provide for the washing of astronauts' clothes in zero gravity and without water.
As often happens with innovations originally conceived in the space sector, the "Wemit" system may later also be used in many areas of daily life to reduce the production of waste (for example, providing for washing clothes used in hospitals or food factories currently, in most cases, disposable). For this reason the Don Bosco Institute has already patented their project, thus bringing its eight young students into the ranks of inventors.
Furthermore, the quality of the project led to the young Salesian students being invited to the prestigious "Global Innovation Award", the final for the 20 best scientific projects presented during the competitive season around the world, with the final staged in June in California.
The "iDB Tech-No-Logic Team", the "Don Bosco" team of Verona, had already made headlines in 2018, qualifying for the World Championships held in Detroit and winning the prize for the best project presentation. This year, instead, they dominated right across the board, coming first in the following categories: scientific project, technological innovation, robotic programming, presentation and teamwork.
The success of Salesian students confirms the importance of engaging in the field of education, to excite and inspire young people to scientific and technological subjects, using creative and unconventional methods.
"The Salesian model is once again confirmed as a reference point in the panorama of the educational and formation system," commented Elena Dozzan, the Veneto Region's Councilor for Formation.
