Insights.
Our guys at INOVA and InfoGamer
20 Nov, 2019
Technology
Our guys at INOVA and InfoGamer
Last week, the International Innovation Exhibition INOVA - Be a Role Model, Reboot InfoGamer, and the Interliber International Book Fair took place in Zagreb. Our practitioners, Luka and Matej, visited the event and actively participated in the lectures. During the Inova exhibition, Matej gave a presentation about "Program A* Path Finding", while Luka shared his own concept for creating a "Smart Body Vest". Luka and Matej are graduates of the High School for Electrical and Computer Engineering, and their professors try to make classes interesting and interactive. The impressions of Luke and Matej are presented below.
Have you visited Reboot InfoGamer, the International Exhibition of Innovations INOVA - Be a Role Model, and the International Book Fair Interliber in Zagreb for the first time? What are your impressions, did you like it?
Luka and Matej: This is the 4th time we have visited InfoGamer, the Inova and Interliber exhibitions. Every time there is something new, depending on what the year was like and whether new things came out. At InfoGamer this year there was slightly less content compared to last year, so that spoiled the impression and excitement a little, but otherwise we are quite satisfied.
What is your opinion about such events in general and why do you think such events are useful?
Luka: Exhibitions like Inova - Be a Role Model, Interliber, and InfoGamer are very useful for those who want to keep up with the latest news. Inova presented many different innovations that can help in everyday life. Infogamer connects fans of gaming and modern technology. It allows them to discover the latest developments in the market and what's trending in the digital industry as well. Interliber is for all book lovers because it offers a large and diverse range of books at better prices.
Matej: I believe there should be more events like this. These events show off new developments in the gaming community. They also unite people and present games in a positive way. Only on InfoGamer I was introduced to several people with whom I had pleasant and constructive conversations.
You actively participated in the International exhibition of innovations INOVA - Be a role model and you had your own lecture. What was your topic, tell us a little more about it. Were you nervous before the presentation?
Luka: At the Inova exhibition, I showcased my project, the Smart Body Vest. Its goal is to reduce casualties among soldiers in war zones. I wasn't nervous because I have no problem talking to others about the project. For now, my entire project is an idea and I'm only now starting to realize it into a real product.
Matej: As part of Infogamer and Interliber, there was also the 15th International Exhibition of Inova, in which as many as 30 different countries around the world participated. My topic was the presentation of the path-finding algorithm called A* (path finding). My project briefly consisted of the following: imagine you have some space of 10 rows and 10 columns. In this space, we label the fields with the letter n. We use a simple formula: f (n) = g (n) + h (n). Here:
- n is the next field in the space
- g is the value of all fields from the start to the current one
- h (also called "accelerated calculation" or heuristics) is the value from the last field (destination) to the current field. Based on this, the algorithm then "checks" whether it is possible to find a way or not. Interesting, isn't it?
This was not my first exhibition and even some would think that it would be normal if we weren't nervous, but everyone is slightly nervous about whether everything will go well.
How long did you prepare for the presentation and how independent were you in preparing the presentation?
Luka: I didn't prepare for the presentation because I already knew how and what needed to be done for everything to go well. My idea is entirely my creation, and only myself participated in the creation.
Matej: I prepared a day or two before the exhibition, but I knew from before what I had to talk about the most important. As for independence, the Internet played a big role, but only when visualizing the program that shows how the algorithm works. Otherwise, the algorithm and code are generally written independently following the pseudocode.
Apart from you, did your colleagues also participate in their lecture? If so, what was their topic?
Luka and Matej: Unfortunately, none of our colleagues had a lecture at this exhibition. In previous lectures, our colleague gave a presentation on a wireless extension cable that operates through a mobile phone app. This app allows users to control which inputs on the extension cable are open and which are closed.
Are you satisfied with the attendance of your lecture? What are you especially proud of and what do you think you could have done better?
Luka: The lecture, i.e. the exhibition, was fun and educational! I have seen many different innovations that can help in everyday life. I am proud that I got the opportunity to be there and present my project.
Matej: Quite satisfied. Normally, I come with the expectation that people won't be interested in such things, but here, I'm always pleasantly surprised. I am especially proud that people are interested in what I have done. There is always room for improvement.
Which exhibitors at Inova would you like to highlight, who particularly impressed you, and why?
Luka and Matej: They would especially highlight the project that came from Saudi Arabia. They created an artificial intelligence program that detects tachycardia and irregular heart arrhythmia. Very interesting and useful.
What would you like to emphasize at the whole event and what do you think could be different, better in the following years?
Luka: Inova and Interliber were great, but Infogamer could work on making everything more lively and complete. Every year, it seems to me that it is getting smaller and smaller.
Matej: In general, at InfoGamer, I would emphasize the organization and friendliness of the people who work at the fair itself. Something special that is worth highlighting, and which I saw on IngoGamer, is an exoskeleton that tracks our movements via a computer.
In general, how interested are you in the digital world, programming, what do you plan to major in after high school, and do you plan to continue programming?
Luka: I find the digital world fascinating. Although I'm not into programming, there are video games that show what today's technology can do. After finishing my education, I plan to go to the Military Academy for Innovation in Zagreb.
Matej: I am interested in programming because I would like to work in that field. I intend to enroll in the computer major at the Department of Informatics in Rijeka.
What are your thoughts on the IT industry?
Luka: The digital industry is the future. It continues to grow and there are employment opportunities for all those who have knowledge related to that industry. I support the digital industry. I think it contributes to better living, and I'm excited to see where it will go.
Matej: I have only positive opinions. If IT had not progressed as much as it has today, I doubt that they would have such a present. IT is the future and will certainly continue to develop.
What is your motto and what motivates you to be active and to learn new things every day?
Luka: "Those who take risks profit" and "never give up". These are some of the quotes that motivate me every day. It is better to try and fail than to do nothing. In today's world, only knowledge can help us, and we can greatly contribute to the whole community with our knowledge.
Matej: "Never give up until you succeed." – I can rely on this motto firsthand. Good will honestly drives me to learn, because I build the foundations related to what interests me in my spare time.
We wish our trainees the best of luck at graduation and that their wishes and ideas for progress and innovation come true. Continue to follow us and stay up to date.
More information: