Children presented innovative things from the Fab Lab
After intensive workshops, the Zukunft Akademie celebrated its final event in the Fab Lab of the University of Siegen. Ten talented children presented their creative graduation projects in an interactive project gallery.
They are between 12 and 16 years old, but have great technical and creative skills: Ten young participants participated in workshop modules in the Fab Lab, the creative workshop of the University of Siegen, in the past five months. At the end they presented their projects. The children combined AI-generated stories with 3D-printed models and interactive touch sensors that they had programmed with the Calliope Mini.
First, each group presented their project in three minutes. Afterwards, the jury and the guests had the opportunity to evaluate the projects. The evaluation was based on the criteria: innovation, creativity and originality, technical implementation, narrative structure, visual/sound design and presentation skills.
The winning projects are:
- Place: Dawn of Tribes by Émile Julian Schneider – Price: Calliope Mini Microcontroller
- Place: The Last Loaf by Dorothea Breichler – Price: PLA filaments for 3D printing
- Place: A debt unpaid by David Fedorenko and Vladyslav Halevych – Price: Arduino Uno Microcontroller
In addition to the main prizes, all received a certificate of participation from the University of Siegen as well as a personalized, laser-engraved badge in recognition of their individual achievements in the various modules.
Parents, guests and the jury were impressed by the innovative power and commitment of the children. They had participated in a total of five workshop modules: 3D printing and 3D modeling, programming with Calliope Mini, sugar measurement with the photometer, storytelling with AI, interactive storytelling.
The Zukunft Akademie is part of the project EnvironMINT, an application-oriented research project that deals with the creative teaching of STEM topics (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology) to young people. The participatory approach is particularly noteworthy: Together with young people, parents, teachers and practical actors, a concept for extracurricular STEM activities is being developed. The focus is on so-called maker activities, which include not only technological but also artistic aspects.
The project EnvironMINT is a research project of the University of Siegen and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
The Fab Lab Siegen is rensed by Prof. Dr. Claudia Müller. The management and project management are in the hands of Marios Mouratidis. The research assistants Karina Oliveira, Ontika Nazmun and Hina Firdaus are responsible for the content and operational planning of the Zukunft Academy.
In the picture (top row, from left): Timofii Tkachenko, Artem Korovushkin, Adam Kostiv, Dorothea Breichler, David Fedorenko, Vlad Halevych, Marios Mouratidis, Karina Oliveira, Nazmun Ontika, Hina Firdaus. Bottom row (from left): Makar Halevych, Émile Julian Schneider, Kirill Giesbrecht.