Makers in the Making
98% of kids found to be creative at the kindergarten level. The number drop to 30% when they reached ten years old it further drops to 2% when they reached adulthood, finds a study commissioned by NASA.
Hyderabad, November 10, 2018.... The Second Day of The Makers Faire, the three days, India’s largest festival of Makers and Innovators drew excellent response particularly from youth and school children.
More than 6000 registered online and another 2500 walked in. On the whole 8500 people visited the debut event
The experts at the Hyderabad Edition of Maker Faire said in a study by Dr.George Land and Beth Jarman commissioned by NASA measured creative abilities of school kids over time, from kindergarten to adulthood. The findings were shocking. 98% of kids were found to be very creative at the kindergarten level. The number dropped to 30% when they reached ten years old. And, it further dropped to 2% when they reached adulthood.
On day two on Saturday, Kids found exploring, seeking and trying their hand. The Play Track which has four zones— explore, seek, possibilities and realities was abuzz with kids and their engaging activities.
The objective behind so many engaging activities such as Trash Toy Factory, Make It Better, Launch Pad, Let’s Khalid, VibroBots, Vision 2100, World Wide View, In Their Shoes was to make kids look things through the innovators lends informed Krishna Teja, who curated the Play Track, one of the three tracks (other two are Passion and Purpose) of Maker Faire Hyderabad.
The Battle Bot Challenge organized in the open area got involved many kids and got a huge response.
Learning Links Foundation, New Delhi lined up a mobile van, learning on the wheels. It trains students of government schools in Electronics, Robotics, Computers, and 3D printing. Founded by Dell as part of its CSR activity, students of Governments schools using mobile Research Lab developed many products. One novel product developed among other by kids include “Blind Assistive Glouse”.
Jarsh Air Conditioned Helmet, a unique product, that combines comfort and safety is an improvement on the conventional helmet. The novel product which finds industrial application has many takers such as Navy, Tata Motors, Suvarna Cements among others. It works on rechargeable batteries and comes out with a charger. It costs Rs 7000/-. They have sold 150 units so far. This Hyderabad based start-up is thinking of going for commercial production very soon. This air-conditioned headgear is the first one in the world to incorporate the cooling system in the headgear was put on display for visitors to look at trying it out.
Another novel product built by Hyderabad based Futuristic Lab is a World’S first Artificial Intelligence-based Automatic Rice and Curry Maker. The prototype was on display at Maker Faire. When it goes for commercial production next year, it will be made available at Rs 20,000/-.
Mythreyi Kondapi the We Hub incubated startup showcased prototype of “Pheeze”, a wearable device which measures the effectiveness of Physiotherapy. Regarded as the most sought-after product, this product when comes into reality will address a problem, which is huge. When asked to quantify, Mythreyi says five lakh people go through Physiotherapy every year. 70 percent of them go for six weeks and beyond. This product will address 20 million US $ market in India and 19billion World Market.
Foosball Table is another innovation. The running prototype model was on display. The visually challenged don’t have places like arcades to go and play exciting games. Foosball can be played blindfolded with a rattle ball and two paddles. It has a bulging curve in the middle. So it keeps coming back to the players, adding a level of difficulty.
City-based Prelab Design Studio showcased excellent design capabilities by way of Imli Shaped Art Installation, “Blossom” another Art Installation; Shell Shaped Tree House a special place for storytelling they made for kindergarten students of Oakridge Intl School, Gachibowli. The shell structure is made in MS ribs and water reed that makes for the roof material. They executed the 400 sq Tree House at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. Inspired by nature, these innovative products were made by using sustainable material and 3D printing as a technology for construction.
Nature is responsive and sensitive. It is alive in it’s visible and invisible ways. This installation is an attempt to stop, sense and contemplate about nature adds Priyanka of Prelab Design Studio.
The Art Installation “ Blossoms” explores interaction and responses via sounds and movements. It makes a small effort in understanding and exaggerating the essence of nature by creating a cluster of flowers which respond to our presence by movement and sound, she added.
JYOTSNA, a 12 years old 7th Class student studying in TSWRS, Amangal from Enquilab Foundation showcased a prototype “Hand Free Umbrella with Light”. The idea Jyotsna says, Hand Free Umbrella can be worn like a backpack with LED lights for guidance in the dark. This makes much convenient and lessens the effort, she adds.
Prototype Smart Helme on display at the Faire was developed by Atal Tinkering Lab of JKK Nattaraja Matricukation Higher Secondary School Tamil Nadu. The helmet is designed to make the rider wear helmet compulsory. Unless he or she wears it, the vehicle won’t start, explain the young innovators.
Agri Techator is another innovation of the same school. It is a cultivator which works on its own with the command given by the former through his smartphone. It can plough the soil and plant the seed on its own. It reduces man labour, energy, petrol and diesel as the present one works with Petrol or diesel.
3-E Stechulika is flexible stove for more efficient cooking made by kids was on display
Green Treasure, a one-stop souvenir shop is the student-led enterprise of Meridian School, Madhapur. They displayed Stone Paper Weight, Hands Painted Trays and many other products. They sold merchandise worth Rs 60,000/-. All these were made by students, who from very young age are taught entrepreneurship.
The day two saw panel discussions “Making to make a social impact”; “How growing up can be reimagined for tomorrow?”; “Making in Hyderabad Innovating from different Perspectives”.
Science on Stage Show held.
The entire Maker Space creates such an environment that makes its visitors think innovation and nothing else. It inspires them so much so that they have no choice but to plunge not bothering about the outcome. You allow yourself to wander and explore without worrying about the results, say experts. It is one of the most important things, they explain.
The root of every innovation, every good business, every social cause or every role, is a problem waiting to be solved, they state.
The Play Track which created Alivers Metropolis hones its visitor's Skills to realize, build, make, create their imaginations. New constraints, unpredictable situations, unexpected failures are bound to appear. Reality always involves learning to navigate through them and improve to emerge stronger.
Creativity is the only thing that computers can’t replace. It has to be encouraged across our education system observed a visitor.
Teach kids, youth to take risks added Prasanna, who is on the journey of entrepreneurship.
Let our teaching be experimental. Everything needs to be hands-on and project-based told, Anupama, a teacher.
Recalling the words of Prof Mitch Renick, Professor of Learning Research, MIT, Anantha PADMANABHAN, who is in the process of setting up an incubator said, the world is changing more rapidly than ever before so, the thing that is most important to think and act creatively to come up with solutions to unexpected problems in the future. So learning particular facts or skills may not be useful in the future.
Ramaraju an entrepreneur said today’s education systems are not designed to help people develop as creative thinkers— they were originally set up to produce workers for industrial-age factories.
Srinivas of Global Art says when people are asked to choose from a list the best description of what makes it enjoyable, most chose designing or discovering something new.
The three-day Makers event, an event by the community for the community is organized by 300 Makers and innovators with the support from T Works, Workbench Projects will conclude on Sunday
