THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite being recently upgraded with state-of-the art equipment, including 3D printers to aid the participating innovators, the number of people, who regularly visit the Innovation Hub of Kerala State Science and Technology Museum (KSSTM), Thiruvananthapuram, to make use of its facilities, is still in a single digit.
Since its inauguration in 2016 by the then Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb, the Innovation Hub has had just over 250 membership holders.
The hub has now got a new 3D printer for crafting computer-designed parts for models built here. Creators can either utilize the modelling software to design the parts or just 3D-scan the part that is meant to be replicated. Last month, the hub introduced a laser cutting and etching machine that is designed to precisely cut structures like mechanical gears out of acrylic sheets. A tissue-culture lab has also been assembled to cater to the needs of biology enthusiasts.
The innovators are not restricted only to the use of available facilities. “We are ready to bring in the necessary equipment and machinery on request from the innovators, there is no doubt in that. In fact, we are looking forward to requests for equipment from our members”, said Cyril K Babu, scientific officer.
Commenting on the shortfall of participants, Arul Jerald Prakash, the director of KSSTM said, “Indian parents are delusional about their children’s education. They wrongly assume that marks translate to knowledge growth. The actual learning happens outside schools in non-conventional institutions like libraries, MOOCs and innovation hubs”.
The hub welcomes innovators from the age of 10. Along with children, retired scientists as old as 70 could also use the facilities. To use the amenities offered by the hub, one has to purchase a membership costing Rs 1,000. People holding this membership can use its services for one year.
The hub also conducts a 10-day ‘Creative Science Workshop’ for children every summer. This enriched course contains workshops on robotics, prototyping, artificial intelligence, astronomy, IOT (Internet of Things), electronics, aero-modelling, among others. “We also teach them to use Arduino microcontrollers. Once they learn to programme, they can use the microcontrollers to automate anything they want. Even if it is as complex as a remote-controlled Quad-copter that they want to build, they can now do it”, says Cyril.
Only last week, a team of participating students made a model using this microcontroller which automatically detects rain and draws the clothes-drying lines to under the rain shelter, he said.
Apart from fully operational physics, chemistry and biology laboratories, there are also spaces where students can dismantle and reassemble things and a section to build scientific toys from scrap materials in this hub.
The second floor of the hub has been converted into a library with abooks on science, engineering and programming.