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Nust FABlab helps youth build robotics, learn about technological innovation
Nust FABlab helps youth build robotics, learn about technological innovation

Nust FABlab helps youth build robotics, learn about technological innovation

Ronelle Rademeyer
The future of Namibia is tied to how agile we are when it comes to embracing the right technology and fostering a new, savvy, ­leadership pool in Namibia.

The rise of robots is unstoppable, with drones filling the air, the seabed and nanotechnology are just a few clear examples.

Some people, even academics and scientists may think this is not in Namibia's future, the Design and Technology Centre of the Namibia University of Science and Technology, FABlab, says otherwise.

To facilitate this vision and making it into a reality, Namibia University of Science and Technology's FABlab hosts and sponsors a weekly ­robotics class, this year's participants are learners from the Physically Active Youth (PAY) Centre in Katutura, Windhoek.

This stimulating and developing Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths (STEAM) skills for Namibia's future leaders, is just one way the forward-thinking and innovative FABlab is promoting real innovation.

The PAY classes are in their sixth week and have seen a group of 12 learners aged between 8 and 17 years old learn the basics of coding and building robots.

The eager learners use critical thinking and engineering design processes to solve problems and complete tasks that involve operating the robots to move, lift, push and pull objects.

These learners are embracing future technologies and involving them in fields such as robotics from a young age is a way of equipping and shaping the future of the country.

These youth are giving up their weekends and are actively learning new hands-on skills and are being provided new opportunities which will contribute to the economy.

FABlab Namibia is bridging the digital divide; engaging the youth to follow education in these cutting-edge spheres, build new robots and acquire these STEAM skills at the same time.

These kids will be the future engineers, innovators and inventors who may just turn out to be the new breed of talented tech-entrepreneurs that Namibia needs.

Björn Wiedow, Industrial Designer and co-founder of FABlab, said the physical space of FABlab was alive with robots last weekend with two back-to-back youth robotics introductory sessions taking place. A total of 32 local youth gained hands-on experience with the LEGO EV3 robotics kits.

They spent 6 hours programming, coding and controlling their robots to do a series of tasks.

“The bigger picture, as to why we have embarked on robotics youth outreach this year is part of the vision to have a countrywide robotics competition with many teams competing.

Ultimately our aim is then to have the winning teams go and represent the country at the annual World Robotics Olympiad,” Wiedow says.

The kits used at FABlab for the youth training are part of the global dynamite LEGO Group, and the robots which the learners developed during the longer course have the addition of sensors such as ultra-sonic, infra-red and touch sensors.

The addition of motors and sensors gives the creator the possibility of building anything, the possibilities are endless when innovation and technology are involved with robot building.

Engineering and ICT degree students at Nust have also benefitted by mentoring younger teams and have even taken their robotics skills further, having developed robotic arms and drones as part of projects at FABlab.

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Republikein 2024-05-03

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Premier League: Chelsea 2 vs 0 Tottenham Hotspur SerieA: Torino 0 vs 0 Bologna European Championships Qualifying: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town English Championship: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town Katima Mulilo: 12° | 32° Rundu: 13° | 32° Eenhana: 13° | 32° Oshakati: 15° | 32° Ruacana: 15° | 33° Tsumeb: 16° | 30° Otjiwarongo: 13° | 29° Omaruru: 13° | 31° Windhoek: 12° | 27° Gobabis: 15° | 28° Henties Bay: 14° | 21° Wind speed: 20km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 05:43, High tide: 12:02, Low Tide: 17:54, High tide: 00:23 Swakopmund: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 05:41, High tide: 12:00, Low Tide: 17:52, High tide: 00:21 Walvis Bay: 16° | 25° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 05:41, High tide: 11:59, Low Tide: 17:52, High tide: 00:20 Rehoboth: 14° | 29° Mariental: 17° | 31° Keetmanshoop: 19° | 31° Aranos: 16° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 25° Ariamsvlei: 18° | 33° Oranjemund: 14° | 22° Luanda: 25° | 28° Gaborone: 14° | 27° Lubumbashi: 12° | 26° Mbabane: 12° | 26° Maseru: 11° | 25° Antananarivo: 13° | 24° Lilongwe: 13° | 27° Maputo: 19° | 28° Windhoek: 12° | 27° Cape Town: 15° | 19° Durban: 17° | 28° Johannesburg: 16° | 25° Dar es Salaam: 24° | 28° Lusaka: 15° | 27° Harare: 13° | 28° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.17 | EUR to NAD 19.91 | CNY to NAD 2.54 | USD to NAD 18.5 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.31 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.68 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.62 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.3 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.64 | USD to EGP 47.9 | USD to KES 133.98 | USD to NGN 1379 | USD to ZAR 18.51 | USD to ZMW 27.1 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 76428.31 Up +0.50% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1700.24 Up +0.45% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13403.47 Up +0.61% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26113.71 Up +6.81% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 301.12/OZ DOWN -0.0098 | Copper US$ 4.52/lb DOWN -0.0028 | Zinc US$ 2 924.30/T DOWN -0.08% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 83.48/BBP DOWN -0.0096 | Platinum US$ 954.33/OZ DOWN -0.0012 Sport results: Premier League: Chelsea 2 vs 0 Tottenham Hotspur SerieA: Torino 0 vs 0 Bologna European Championships Qualifying: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town English Championship: Coventry City 1 vs 2 Ipswich Town Weather: Katima Mulilo: 12° | 32° Rundu: 13° | 32° Eenhana: 13° | 32° Oshakati: 15° | 32° Ruacana: 15° | 33° Tsumeb: 16° | 30° Otjiwarongo: 13° | 29° Omaruru: 13° | 31° Windhoek: 12° | 27° Gobabis: 15° | 28° Henties Bay: 14° | 21° Wind speed: 20km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 05:43, High tide: 12:02, Low Tide: 17:54, High tide: 00:23 Swakopmund: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 05:41, High tide: 12:00, Low Tide: 17:52, High tide: 00:21 Walvis Bay: 16° | 25° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 05:41, High tide: 11:59, Low Tide: 17:52, High tide: 00:20 Rehoboth: 14° | 29° Mariental: 17° | 31° Keetmanshoop: 19° | 31° Aranos: 16° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 25° Ariamsvlei: 18° | 33° Oranjemund: 14° | 22° Luanda: 25° | 28° Gaborone: 14° | 27° Lubumbashi: 12° | 26° Mbabane: 12° | 26° Maseru: 11° | 25° Antananarivo: 13° | 24° Lilongwe: 13° | 27° Maputo: 19° | 28° Windhoek: 12° | 27° Cape Town: 15° | 19° Durban: 17° | 28° Johannesburg: 16° | 25° Dar es Salaam: 24° | 28° Lusaka: 15° | 27° Harare: 13° | 28° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.17 | EUR to NAD 19.91 | CNY to NAD 2.54 | USD to NAD 18.5 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.31 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.68 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.62 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.3 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.64 | USD to EGP 47.9 | USD to KES 133.98 | USD to NGN 1379 | USD to ZAR 18.51 | USD to ZMW 27.1 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 76428.31 Up +0.50% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1700.24 Up +0.45% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13403.47 Up +0.61% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26113.71 Up +6.81% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 301.12/OZ DOWN -0.0098 | Copper US$ 4.52/lb DOWN -0.0028 | Zinc US$ 2 924.30/T DOWN -0.08% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 83.48/BBP DOWN -0.0096 | Platinum US$ 954.33/OZ DOWN -0.0012