Interview with Patrick Holba: 17-year-old leader of The H.E.I.S.T. robotics team inspires young people and professionals
During the Future Port Youth conference, the young innovator Patrik Holba presented his robotic project at the NPI stand, a roofed grant project C4DD supporting DigiKoalica. A 17-year-old high school student leads the international team The H.E.I.S.T., with whom he won a prestigious robotics competition and actively spreads STEAM education not only among young people. The interview was conducted by Aneta Čebišová.
Hello, Patrick. Could you explain to us what the abbreviation The H.E.I.S.T. means?
Hello, thank you for inviting me to the interview. The abbreviation comes from the words Helping Engineer Innovative Solutions Together, which is the motto of our project.
What do you do in your project?
As a team leader, I take care of the overall operation of the project. We have 11 students and 5 mentors who help us with the organization. I provide finances, communication with sponsors and during the season when we build a robot, I also deal with programming.
Every year you take part in an international robotics competition. What success do you value the most?
We compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition, the most prestigious robotics competition in the world. Teams build a robot with dimensions of up to 1 × 1 meter and a weight of up to 80 kg according to the assignment. We have about ten weeks for a basic robot.
Last year we represented North Carolina (USA) and the Czech Republic at the Houston World Finals because we are an American-Czech team. Out of 3,500 teams, we have won one of the eight titles of the best rookie team – the best rookie team. We want to show, especially in the Czech Republic, that similar achievements can be achieved if people have the motivation and desire to work. We are actively trying to spread this approach.
What brought you to robotics?
I have enjoyed programming since I was a child – I started with Python, later with the creation of games and websites. During my exchange stay in the USA, I was looking for new friends and I came across a programming club where a huge robot stood. They gave me a remote and told me to drive it, and if anything goes wrong, they'll fix it. In a few seconds, I knew I wanted to spend half a year like this – and in the end it stretched. Even though we work on two continents in different time zones, we were able to find a common rhythm.
How do you think students should start if they want to focus on robot programming?
It's a wide field, but there are three main paths. The first is individual study – for example, online courses at Udemy or working with Arduino , where they can build a simple drone. The second option is competitions, for example, Robos Competition . And the third way is to join an existing robotic team and take part in competitions such as the FIRST LEGO League.
As part of the project, you are also involved in the dissemination of STEAM. What does it look like in practice?
We want to show that STEAM is a great development path. We have been working with children from 6 to 7 years, to whom we give the complete basics. We also visit companies – we organise workshops for employees and offer teambuildings for up to 24 people. Recently, we have been building mechanical hands with workers from various professions, from engineers to accountants. Everyone tried a part of the whole process.
What activities do you use AI in your work?
I use it almost constantly – when translating, programming or generating and explaining code. We also use it to process texts, for example, to edit personalized emails for potential sponsors or to create promotional materials that match the target group's communication style.
Can you describe how you work with 3D modeling?
We mostly use Onshape software, which is user-friendly and ideal for teamwork. 3D printing is mainly used to produce parts for a robot – a 3D printed part is around ten times cheaper than a custom-made one. We also print promotional items, such as earrings with a competition motif or 3D QR codes instead of business cards. Thanks to the press, we can have new ideas implemented within a few hours. Smaller objects are printed for about an hour, larger for about 8 to 9 hours.
What advice would you give to your starting self?
Try everything and say yes to interesting opportunities. Recognize that time is limited and need to be valued. Trying to overcome yourself every day. Don't be afraid to communicate, because contacts are a very important resource. The more people you know, the more you can do. Small projects can be handled independently, but a team is needed for larger projects.
What are your ambitions for the future?
In the future, I would like to start my own IT company and lead a good team. And as a robotic team, we are doing everything we can to qualify for the World Championship again and achieve further success.
Thank you for the interview and I wish you every success.