TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan, held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, came to a close after four action-packed days. At the festival, in which TÜBİTAK participated as a partner, the TÜBİTAK booth drew attention with its activities, science shows, and exhibited products. Dozens of science shows were held over the four days at the stadium, which was always packed with visitors, and activities were organized in numerous workshops.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Competition
The second- and third-place winners of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (PUA) competition organized by TÜBİTAK also received their awards.
Third place in the PUA Competition went to the Air Force team from the Military Academy University. Second place in the competition went to the SaWar team from the Turkish Aeronautical Association University. The winners received their awards from Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology; Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the TEKNOFEST Board of Directors; and Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, President of TÜBİTAK.
As part of TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Competition—organized for the first time by TÜBİTAK and Azercosmos—was held on May 24, 2022, at Hacıkabul Airport.
The competition, held for the first time this year, was open only to students enrolled in higher education institutions in Turkey and Azerbaijan. A total of 156 teams applied for the competition—104 of them from Turkey—which aims to increase students’ interest in space, aviation, and aircraft while equipping them with basic flight knowledge and skills in this field.
At the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan PUA Competition, young people from the two sister nations—comprising 10 teams from Azerbaijan and 4 from Turkey—experienced the thrill of competing in the skies over Azerbaijan with the UAVs they designed.
At the PUA Competition held at Hacıkabul Airport, teams carried out tasks such as reconnaissance, mapping, target engagement, payload transport, firefighting, and demolition using their drones.
The 14 finalist teams participated in TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan, held at the Baku Crystal Hall complex from May 26–29, 2022, and showcased their UAVs to visitors at the booths assigned to them inside the Baku Crystal Hall.
In the competition, the first-place winner received $4,000, the second-place winner received $2,000, and the third-place winner received $1,000.
RESEARCH CENTER FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND CYBER SECURITY (BİLGEM)
During the four-day festival, the technologies developed by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM drew great interest from visitors.
Participants searching for metal commemorative coins in a special sandbox using the ‘OZAN’ foldable metal mine detector—developed by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM—had fun while also experiencing the advanced technologies that were developed.
With the advancement of technology, the evolution of virtual reality, and the concept of the Metaverse beginning to enter our lives, the Metaverse was chosen as the main theme for the activities at the booth in order to showcase the work being done in this field and provide participants with an immersive experience. Participants who created their own avatars using the “Metaverse Avatar Creation Booth” had fun taking photos with their avatars.
“Haptics Technology”—the field of science aimed at providing a technical answer to the question, “Can we feel real-life objects and surfaces by touching their corresponding images on a screen?”—made its debut at a festival. Thanks to the “Touch-Find Screen,” developed as a result of intensive research in recent years, participants were able to feel the surfaces of real objects by touching their images on the screen; by touching the back of a crocodile, they experienced the sensation of touching a real crocodile; and by touching a physical map of Azerbaijan, they felt the mountains, rivers, and plains.
TÜBİTAK PRESIDENCY OF SCIENCE AND SOCIETY (BİTO)
As part of BİTO, science centers took part in TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with a variety of colorful workshops and events. Numerous events organized jointly by the Antalya Science Center, Science Üsküdar, Elazığ Science Center, Kayseri Science Center, Kocaeli Science Center, Konya Science Center, and DENEYAP Technology Workshops were designed specifically for children.
At the Advanced Robotics Project Fair, students created projects by combining what they had learned in Design and Manufacturing, Robotics and Coding, and Advanced Robotics courses.
Through the "I'm Creating My Own Molecule" activity, students learned what types of atoms make up molecules and used their fine motor skills to build their own molecules using atoms.
Activities such as the Robo-Arena event, solar observation, the painting robot, and “Plus-Minus Hand in Hand,” as well as science demonstrations, took place. As part of the design and production activities, wood was shaped using a lathe and a band saw. Visitors were provided with information about woodworking. The “Hydrophobic Hands” activity, which utilized aerogel’s water-repellent properties, attracted visitors’ interest.
Through the “Snap-Together Circuits” activity, children not only learned about electrical circuits but also gained knowledge about currents—enabling them to build multiple circuits—while using their fine motor skills to create their own circuits. The students’ projects were displayed in the exhibition area to facilitate knowledge sharing.
A total of 100 different titles from the TÜBİTAK Popular Science Book series, catering to various age groups, were sold and promoted. In addition, issues of the popular science magazines *Bilim ve Teknik*, *Bilim Çocuk*, and *Meraklı Minik* were given as gifts to readers.
TÜBİTAK MARMARA RESEARCH CENTER (MAM)
MAM added a touch of excitement to TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with a variety of fascinating events in the field of life sciences.
The "Application of Different Materials Under the Microscope" activity will involve examining various live and fixed specimens using a binocular light and macro-lens microscope, and explaining their microstructures. In addition, information will be provided to interested participants on how the microscope works and the principles of examination.
During the "Observation of Lactic Acid Bacteria Under a Microscope" event, lactic acid bacteria were observed under a microscope.
As part of the “Experimental Use of Fingerprint Powders” event, a hands-on demonstration using magnetic fingerprint powder was conducted for some visitors at TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan. R&D work aimed at producing crime scene investigation supplies (fingerprint powders, sprays, brushes, and transfer foils) required by the General Directorate of Security (EGM) in Turkey has been completed. TÜBİTAK MAM Materials Technologies produced the products required by the EGM for 2014 and 2015. Technology transfers for fingerprint powders, sprays, and fiberglass fingerprint brushes were made to domestic companies. The Penguin Mascot accompanied the events at TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan.
Through the "Arctic Animals Matching Game," children were introduced to Arctic animals using a matching and memory game approach.
Events were also organized to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability. A competition was held with teams made up of young people as part of the “Real-Time Measurement of Ground Movements Using a Seismometer” event.
The operating principle was explained by filling the cell with a methanol solution using the Methanol Fuel Cell Education Kit.
Using the Boron Fuel Cell Education Kit, hydrogen gas—produced by mixing sodium borohydride with water to prepare a solution—was converted into electricity in a fuel cell through a hands-on experiment.
A scale model of the R/V TÜBİTAK Marmara research vessel and a space-qualified solar panel were exhibited at TEKNOFEST in Azerbaijan.
DEFENSE INDUSTRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (TÜBİTAK-SAGE)
TÜBİTAK SAGE is participating as a partner in TEKNOFEST AZERBAIJAN, which will take place at the Baku Crystal Hall from May 26–29, 2022.
At the SAGE booth—which, in addition to showcasing ammunition systems developed locally and domestically by Turkish engineers, also planned to host technology workshops for children and young people—the KUZGUN modular guided munitions family was on display for visitors. It also appealed to science enthusiasts with events such as the Rocket Model Workshop and the VR Virtual Reality Experience.
The Rocket Model Workshop also welcomed visitors with the aim of introducing children and young people aged 6–14 to rocket science and teaching them about the components that make up a rocket.
Bozdoğan, one of Turkey’s first domestically developed air-to-air missiles developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, successfully hit its target during its first test firing from an F-16 fighter jet—will be showcased through virtual reality goggles. The VR experience, featuring 360-degree footage captured from inside the cockpit, will allow visitors to fly alongside our fighter pilot and witness a successful test launch, creating unforgettable moments forvisitors unforgettable moments.
TÜBİTAK NATIONAL OBSERVATORY (TUG)
TUG participated in TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan with a solar telescope observation event. Using a telescope equipped with a special filter, visitors observed sunspots and solar flares on our star, the Sun. Visitors also had brief conversations with expert astronomers about topics that piqued their curiosity.
TÜBİTAK TEKNOFEST left Azerbaijan, leaving an unforgettable impression.
