This year the European Year of Creativity and Innovation is being celebrated at the EU's stand at Ireland's National Ploughing Championships which is taking place in Cardenton, Co. Kildare from 22 to 24 September.
This year the European Year of Creativity and Innovation is being celebrated at the EU's stand at Ireland's National Ploughing Championships which is taking place in Cardenton, Co. Kildare from 22 to 24 September.
Rubik's-cube-solving robots, the most detailed photos of the Cosmos ever taken and pedal power electricity generators… These are just a few of the exhibits at the EU's stand where visitors are invited to stretch their minds and find new solutions to everyday problems.
According to Mr Martin Territt, Director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, “This year's EU stand is all about finding new solutions to old problems - and this is what the year of Creativity and Innovation is all about. The pedal power generator, for instance, shows people in a really concrete way just how much energy is saved by energy-efficient light bulbs. It lets our visitors see that a small change can really make big savings in CO2 emissions.”
The star of the show is turning out to be the RuBot. This robot can solve a Rubik's cube in less than 1 minute 50 seconds. The visually spectacular robot has two cameras for eyes and can scan all six sides of the cube. It uses a very efficient program to solve the puzzle in less than 20 moves.
Also on display over the three days is the “from the Earth to the Universe” photo exhibition of the Cosmos. These are amongst the sharpest images of the universe ever taken and give a unique perspective of the vastness of space. The exhibition is part of the International Year of Astronomy which is supported by the Armagh Observatory.
The team from the European Parliament Office in Ireland is also on hand to help answer questions on EU related matters. Visitors can find out about different EU policies, what the EU is doing in their area and how the institutions work. They might even get the chance to talk to their local MEP.
For the first time the “Talk to EU” video booth is also at the Championships. The latest touch-screen and video technology will guide visitors to ask questions and give their views on the EU. Visitors will be recorded on video as they ask about anything from the EU's environmental policy to what opportunities exist to study abroad. They will then be e-mailed a copy of their video and directed to the answer on the www.talktoeu.ie website.
This is just a taste of some of the exhibits and events that are at the European Commission tent at Ireland's National Ploughing Championships.