The Story of a Family Team: Mucitler House

Our journey as a family producing technology began with our visit to Teknofest in 2018, when our daughter Zeynep was just 14 months old. On this path, as father and daughter, we wrote a story that led us to the finals of Teknofest. This is the journey of science and technology from seed to fruit at Mucitler Evi...

Mucitler Evi is a family team founded in 2024 with social benefit at its core. The team was established by Eren Mustafa Özdal, a class teacher and mentor, and his daughter Zeynep Özdal. Mucitler Evi is not merely a team that develops projects for competitions; it is an idea workshop focused on finding solutions to real-life needs.

The team placed second at Teknofest 2024 and fifth at Teknofest 2025 KKTC. It has created innovative solutions that apply technology to serve humanity, focusing on issues such as visual impairment, child safety, and healthy living.

Zeynep was only 14 months old. In 2018, we attended the first Teknofest with her by our side. The phrase spoken by "Selçuk Bayraktar" at the time — "This festival is for those who want their sons to be pilots and their daughters to be astronauts" — left a deep impression on us. That step we took that day became the seed of a dream that would later blossom and bear fruit. 🌱

^{Our Family’s Entry to Teknofest 2018 (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

This time we attended Teknofest with greater awareness and excitement. Every visit became a source of inspiration for children and motivation for families. We did not merely observe the National Technology Initiative from afar; we felt we were part of it.

^{Some Moments from Teknofest 2019 (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

The Teknofest 2021 held after the pandemic was an event that rekindled our excitement about returning to the grounds. Zeynep was growing older, asking more questions, and her growing interest at every booth reinforced her thought: "We must be here one day."

^{Some Moments from Teknofest 2021 (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

We attended the special Teknofest events in both Istanbul and Ankara, held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic. By then, we were no longer just spectators but a family steadily moving toward becoming producers. This would be our final visit to Teknofest as visitors.

^{Some Moments from Teknofest 2023 Ankara and Istanbul (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

The first time Mucitler Evi entered a competition was at Teknofest 2024 in Adana. Our inspiration was our visually impaired grandmother. We wanted to solve the difficulties she faced navigating indoor spaces. Thus, the "Sengör" project was born.

^{Visual of Our Sengör Project Prototype and Operation (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

Sengör was Zeynep’s first project involving electronic components. Father and daughter rolled up our sleeves and created a series of fairy tales in which each electronic component was a character. We narrated the tales together. Zeynep learned the purpose and function of each component by listening to the stories.

^{Exhibition of Our Sengör Project at the Teknofest Mediterranean Final in Antalya (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

• We worked on suitable solutions for mounting sensors on the head (hat, bandana, glasses)
• A system was designed integrating an ultrasonic distance sensor, buzzer, and vibration module
• We developed the first prototype using an Arduino platform
• We defined three distinct alert modes for three different distance thresholds

To prepare for the Teknofest finals, we first traveled to Antalya, where we presented our project to visitors and the jury.

🥈 We placed second in the Teknofest Accessible Living category. To exhibit our project and receive the award, we traveled to Adana.

^{Our Project Exhibition and Award Ceremony at Teknofest Adana (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

After Sengör, we shifted our focus to child safety. Zeynep’s friend who briefly got lost during a picnic inspired us. The question "How can we prevent children from getting lost in crowded environments?" gave birth to the Minibağ project.

^{Poster of Our Minibağ Project for the Teknofest Final (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

• Two wristbands based on ESP-NOW: one for the parent, one for the child.
• When the child moves beyond a safe distance, the parent’s wristband emits a vibration and audible alert.
• Use Cases: Malls, parks, school trips, festival grounds.

^{Our Project Exhibition and Award Ceremony at Teknofest KKTC (Eren Mustafa Özdal)}

• We produced our first prototype using a 3D printer.
• A user-friendly and rechargeable system was designed.

🏅 At KKTC Teknofest we placed fifth, and in the special evaluation by TÜBİTAK we achieved third place.

📜 After the competition, we filed a patentapplication for the project. Minibağ is no longer just a competition project; it has become a socially beneficial solution ready for commercialization.

Our new goal: get children moving! Experts’ warning that "children are moving less" guided us. Our solution to this challenge is Actiband.

• Smart wristband with RGB LED ring and step-counting feature
• Real-time visual feedback through colored lights based on activity levels
• Continuous motion analysis using a five-hour sliding window

• We advanced to the semifinals of the Teknofest 2025 Istanbul International Children’s Science Competition
• We are currently preparing for prototype development

With this project, we encourage children to move more and adopt healthy lifestyle habits. We also aim to foster a positive competitive environment among them.

You can follow our team on the Next Teknofest Sosyal Mucitler Evi account: sosyal.teknofest.app/@mucitler_evi