Hackathon HBO-ICT

About 15 robots were ready to get hacked! In the world of ICT, hacking has two meanings. Get inside or take over a system, or programming code like a maniac. The low code doesn’t need to follow ‘the rules’, which makes a hack fun to do. When you do a hackathon, you put several programmers together for several days and nights to find a solution for an ICT problem that’s different than usual. This also happens a lot with games an healthcare solutions that are developed within 48 hours.

The fourth-year high schoolers of the Etty Hillesum Lyceum wrote different programs in low code for the robots in six hours. The goal? Getting the robots to execute assignments! The students were able to follow the instructions and implementation easily, our lecturers got the feedback that they can make it more difficult next time. What was very fun to see, was that one of the girls was halfway done while most boys were still fidgeting with screws.

The day was opened by engineering firm TAUW and during the lunch break there was a lecture on cyber security from which the students learned a lot.

At the end of the day a demonstration was given with and by robot Pepper to conclude the day fittingly. HBO-ICT has received a lot of positive feedback in response to the hackathon. Whereas many students first didn't feel like it, it turned out to be a lot of fun afterwards. A very successful day!