Robotic Lab, Popcorn, and “Space Slime”: TBU to Showcase Innovation at the 2025 Science Fair
5. June 2025Tomas Bata University in Zlín (TBU) will once again take part in the science event of the year – the 2025 Science Fair, which will take place at PVA EXPO Prague Letňany from Thursday, 5 June to Saturday, 7 June 2025. This major popular science event is organised by the Czech Academy of Sciences and brings together institutes from the Academy, universities, companies and other institutions.
At this year’s fair, TBU will be represented by the Centre of Security, Information and Advanced Technologies (CEBIA-Tech), part of the Faculty of Applied Informatics (FAI), the TBU’s renowned Centre of Polymer Systems (CPS) and the Footwear Research Centre of the University Institute.
CEBIA-Tech will present intelligent robotic systems to the public in an engaging and educational format. Visitors can look forward to hands-on demonstrations of robotics in action, prepared by the Faculty of Applied Informatics. The TBU stand will feature a robotic bartender, serving soft drinks to visitors of all ages, as well as a mobile robot delivering freshly made popcorn around the booth. Attendees will also have the chance to explore virtual reality, experience a modern robotics lab, and interact with a musical instrument that generates sound based on the spatial coordinates of objects or markers.
The Centre of Polymer Systems (CPS) is a leading research facility at TBU, dedicated to research and development in polymer and rubber processing, materials engineering, and other areas of chemical and technological sciences, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. The CPS exhibition will offer a wide range of exciting displays, including the production of viscoelastic polymer “slime”, eco-friendly hydrogels made from whey, polymer electricity generators and textile recycling. Visitors will also learn about the latest developments in footwear materials, see 3D-printed lasts and footwear components, and gain insight into the Laboratory of Diagnostics of the Musculoskeletal System. The CPS will also present opportunities for collaboration with companies and institutions, focusing on both applied and fundamental research.