“To think like a designer requires dreaming up wild ideas,taking time to tinker and test, and being willing to fail early and often."
-IDEO
Details
Design isn’t just about creation; it’s about harnessing creativity to solve real world problems and improve people's lives- through the use of innovation. Our program takes students on an exciting journey of solving real world problems through hands-on exploration & product development. To think like a designer requires dreaming up wild ideas, taking time to tinker and test, and being willing to fail early and often.
Invention, however, requires more than just curiosity and creativity – it requires the KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS to carry a design to fruition. TechLabs teachers help students gain the knowledge to facilitate THEIR ideas, THEIR invention, and THEIR vision and to show them how to implement it with new technologies.
The specific project theme for this course changes throughout the year so participants alway experience something exciting and new. See the individual offer for current project theme.
Examples of past themes:
Candylicious: UltimateBoard Game
Mentoring for Migros Bugnplay Design Competition
Robot Petting Zoo
Product Design focused on Design Thinking
Enabling The Future: Robot Hand Lab
Design of a Prosthetic 3D Printed Hand for charity
Swarm Robotics
TechLabs in-house designed robot specialized in cooperative robotic behavior
From automated vacuum cleaners, to Mars rovers, to deep-sea exploration, robots are everywhere. But a new kind of robot has arrived. They are small, cheap, & simple but they have a special skill: they work as a team! Inspired by nature, these robots work together to achieve tasks that even a more sophisticated and expensive robot can’t achieve alone. Similar to the sophisticated beehives bees are able to build together or the huge complexity of ant colonies.
In this class, you will:
- discover biomimicry
- build your own high-maneuverability robot
- program it using BBC micro:bit
- define a task to accomplish as a team
- upgrade your robot using 3D modeling and 3D printing
- learn to work as a team
UN Sustainable Development Goals Projects
Series of projects based on the UN's SDGs-- a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030. In collaboration with, Citizen Cyber Lab, Open Seventeen, Micro:bit - do your :bit, MakeX Spark and other similar initiatives, we incorporate their prompts to mentor students through the design process to reach desired outcomes.
Design & test Build Oil Spill Cleaning Boats
Experimenting with an Auto Farming Device
Interactive Installation SDG Goal 14: Life Below Water
Engineering Arts
Series of projects that bring out the "A" in STEAM as we use technology to create art.
Interactive Light Installation
Build and program Light Painting Robots
Game Controller Design
Design a Video Game & Controller
Join us for a fun-filled week where you will not only program your own video game but also design your very own Game Controller thanks to 3D-Printing! This is not your average controller; the TechLabs controller will let you control your game using motion, image, and voice recognition thanks to AI.
Current Course Project
Take your design and fabrication skills to the next level with advanced training
- Seminar Membership Offer:
This course is offered as part of a flexible half-year subscription: from August to December or from January to June, outside of school vacations. By purchasing a membership, you have the flexibility to attend any Tuesday and/or Thursday time slots at a reduced annual rate. Ideal flexibility for SEK/Gymnasium students and adult individuals that need to accommodate busy school and work schedules. Participants can also have the assistance of our mentors to support school-aligned projects instead of the planned project agenda. - 2024/2025 Project :
Participants are introduced to Vex V5 Robotics and have the opportunity to work as a team to build a robot and compete in regional competitions. Learn more here:www.vexrobotics.com/v5/competition/vrc-current-game - Advanced 3D Printing:
Additionally, participants will be taking a "deep dive" into the world of 3D Design and Fabrication. While creating digitally enhanced "wearables", decorative and functional parts, participants will work with a wide variety of 3D Printable plastics (Carbon Fiber reinforced PLA, PETG, Glow, TPU) and Laser Cut natural products and metals. Participants will learn how to use OnShape to create 3D Printable designs and assemblies and earn official OnShape-recognized badges.
Technology
3D Printing
Design
Robotics
| Ages | 13 to Adult |
| Course Level | Beginner | Intermediate |
| Course Language | EN & DE (and French on Tuesdays) |