May.6, 2012

Kalani Hausman, an author, educator, InfoTech/InfoSec professional and researcher in high-performance computing launched an education-focused program: STEMulate learning through personalized 3D printed robotics. It is a lesson-based suite of educational courses that integrate 3D printing with traditional learning to give kids a personalized experience.

This robotics course is designed to interest boys and girls in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) by allowing them to pick the type of robot (bug, tank, hand, bipedal walker, etc) and color for the robot framework. Each student will then use common components (Arduino, servos, sensors) to build their robot rather than a standard bot that all will use.

This program is currently participating in the #SciFund Challenge on rockethub.com - You might find this research interesting, then help fuel this exciting project and become part of the STEMulate Learning effort.

MakerBot, the manufacturer of 3D Printer, is providing a dual-color Replicator from their next production run to the STEMulate Learning program. Besides, MakerBot is putting him in contact with 25+ schools that have MakerBots as part of their Education program to perform his research in educational settings.

So the crowdfunding effort will focus on electronics instead of the printer (micropayments of $1 and up as part of the international #SciFund research crowdfunding program at RocketHub). "If the #SciFund project is successful, I am hoping to interest 3D Systems in providing a Z-Printer for full-color modelling suitable to artifact reproductions, cave art, and other forms of modelling where color plays a factor in learning." said Kalani Hausman.

This personalized robotics course is a pilot for a larger effort - "Solid Learning". This larger program will integrate 3D printing in many different courses: architecture, artifacts for early hominid studies, skeletal reproduction for physiology and morphology studies - even wing-design for lifting surface experiments. For the lifting-surface labs, Kalani Hausman is currently testing a 3D printable laminar-flow wind tunnel that uses a standard 120mm computer fan so that teachers can print out not only learning materials but also lab equipment at need without requiring expensive purchases of equipment that must be stored and maintained - and which could fall short if student population changes between years. This program couples with the ongoing DARPA program to put hackerspaces into public schools (Project: MENTOR).


Source/Photo/video credit: Kalani Hausman


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