School-Wide Innovation Lab

My school values technology: tech department, aspiring computer science majors, and community partnerships. We want to level-up and give students in-house exposure to industry-standard equipment and innovation experiences. With this Innovation Lab students throughout our school -- in content classes, afterschool clubs, and community projects -- will access these tools.

Our students will graduate with experience using drones, visiting AR/VR environments, prototyping and 3D printing, recycling/reusing biodegradable plastics; and transforming textiles into unique wearable electronics integrated with soft circuits connected to the Internet-of-Things.

Advanced students will use metal shelving parts and filament extruder components to build a machine to recycle the school’s waste plastic into spools of filament for 3D printing. Other equipment will empower students to create professional-looking projects. Rather than simple shapes of fabric/plastic/cardboard, students will use computer-assisted-design (CAD) and export their files of intricate shapes to be cut on the Cameo -- and to design and build headsets for their VR mini-goggles. With the printer and heatpress, they will transfer their digitally-designed images to fabric, and embed sensors, LEDs, and microcontrollers with conductive thread making soft circuits activated by touch pads, sound, light, or movement. They could create a wireless video game controller or a shirt that reacts to its environment.

Some students are remote, others in-person, but all will benefit from the lab. They may create holograms, custom design/print 3D pieces for robotics, pilot drones to film school events, learn about AI and blockchain, visit each other’s native country or create and visit new worlds through AR/VR, or deepen their content understanding through simulations. If remote, teachers will print their 2D and 3D images at school for them. The secure rolling carts and locks create mobile stations to share throughout all classrooms. Once 100% back in the school building, the possibilities are endless.