Our team Skejtborďaci (Leo Varga, Timotej Székely, Jakub Veselý, Boris Pudleiner, students of 2.C, a class with a computer science specialization) took part in the prestigious international competition RoboCupJunior European Champions 2026, held in Vienna on June 3–6, 2026. In our category, OnStage, competitors combine robotics, programming, technical skills and creativity into an original performance, which they present to an audience and an expert jury.
The theme of our performance was the popular animated film Inside Out. Using robots we designed and programmed ourselves, we portrayed the individual emotions that appear in the story – Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. The performance also featured a memory orb.
We used several modern technologies to bring the project to life. The robots were built from LEGO Mindstorms kits and supplemented with micro:bit microcomputers and an AI camera that enabled object recognition and interaction with the surroundings. Each robot had its own specific role and helped express the character of its emotion through movement, light effects and behavior. Our aim was to connect the technical side of the project with the story to create an engaging and dynamic performance.
Preparing for the competition took many hours of work. We programmed the robots, tested individual functions, solved technical problems and rehearsed the performance itself. Teamwork was essential, because only thanks to it did we manage to bring all the technical and stage elements together into one whole.
The competition consisted of presentations and performances by the individual teams in front of an international expert jury. The jury assessed the technical difficulty of the project, the quality of the programming, the functionality of the robots, the originality of the idea, teamwork and the overall impression of the performance. The projects of other teams from different countries around the world were also a great inspiration for us and showed us many new ideas and solutions.
Our work was rewarded with excellent results. In the overall ranking we placed 3rd. We were also extremely pleased with 1st place in the SuperTeam category, where we worked together with the team Argg Group from Italy. This discipline tested not only our technical knowledge but also our ability to communicate and cooperate effectively with peers from another country.
Taking part in RoboCup Junior OnStage was an unforgettable experience for us. We gained new knowledge in robotics, programming and artificial intelligence, improved our presentation skills and made new friends. Besides the competition itself, we also enjoyed our stay in Vienna and the unique atmosphere of an international event.
We are very proud of our achievements, and they motivate us to keep developing our skills and creating new and interesting projects.
We sincerely thank everyone who supported us along the way. A BIG THANK YOU goes to our sponsors – the company GOHR, represented by Ing. Ľubomír Olejár, the Prešov Self-Governing Region and AGROKARPATY, s.r.o. Plavnica, who helped us secure our participation in the competition and create the conditions for carrying out our project. Their support allowed us to gain valuable experience and represent our school at an international level.
Special thanks also go to our teacher and mentor Zuzana Mackovjaková, who guided, supported and motivated us throughout the entire preparation. Thanks to her patience, valuable advice and willingness to give us her time, we were able to successfully meet all the challenges of preparing the performance and of the competition itself.
We also thank the school management, our parents and everyone who kept their fingers crossed for us. We greatly appreciate every form of support and believe that our success will motivate other students to pursue programming and creative projects.
Skejtborďaci J
PS: We captured the successes, emotions and unforgettable moments of our participation in RoboCup Junior OnStage in Vienna in a video. We invite you to take a look behind the scenes of our project and relive this unique experience with us. click
