Izmir Students Become World Champions with Electric Brush Invention

On June 25, 2026, exciting news emerged from the world of youth science and technology, once again making the name of Izmir resonate on the international stage. A team of high school students from the Çiğli Aydoğan Yağcı Science and Art Center managed to record their names at the top of the world's best with an innovative project. These students, members of the Robokod Spica team, achieved the championship title at the world competition held in Greece by designing and building a special electric brush for archaeologists [1].

Remarkable Success of the Robokod Spica Team in Greece This project, designed to solve the physical problems of archaeologists during long-term excavations, attracted the attention of international judges. The Robokod Spica team consists of 10 students and 4 mentor teachers who worked on this idea for months. Emre Tosun, the team's coach, noted in media interviews that the students consulted with numerous university professors and archaeologists both domestically and abroad to identify the precise needs of the profession to reach this final design. The result of these efforts was winning first place in a competition featuring the top young talents from around the world [1].

Electric Brush: A Solution for Archaeologists' Health The core idea for this invention took shape when the students realized that archaeologists have to use heavy manual brushes for hours to clean delicate historical artifacts. These repetitive and continuous movements lead to chronic pain in the wrist and hand areas and joint diseases in the long run. The electric brush designed by this team solved this major challenge by reducing physical pressure and automating part of the cleaning process. The device is designed to have enough power for cleaning while maintaining the necessary delicacy to avoid damaging ancient objects [1].

From 3D Design to Advanced Coding The construction of this electric brush is a combination of art, engineering, and computer science. All mechanical parts of this device were produced using 3D Printing technology, which allowed for customization and lightening of the body. In addition to the hardware section, this brush features a smart control system programmed through block-based coding. Can Derli, one of the team's students, explained that the mastermind of this device is a microprocessor that adjusts the speed and pressure of the brush according to the type of surface [1].

Another Honor for Izmir's Educational System Duru Elif Altınbaş, a 15-year-old student on the team, announced that the theme of this year's competition centered on archaeology and related innovations. This success demonstrates the effectiveness of Izmir's science and art centers in nurturing young talent, which had previously shone in FRC robotics competitions [2]. Winning the gold medal in Greece and raising the Turkish flag once again proved that investing in technology-oriented education for teenagers can bring brilliant global results [1].