3D printing has surged in popularity over the last few years. With many machines finally reaching affordable levels, access to software and tools being better than ever, and general awareness for this awesome technology always increasing, it’s easy to see why 3D printing is hitting the news so often.
Fifteen years ago, if someone had started speaking about a robot, many people would probably have had in my mind a resemblance of C-3PO. A shiny human-shaped being that could act on his own carrying out similar tasks to a human.
London is a great place to be if you are interested in STEM. STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is increasingly being used as a reference to anything technology based. If you have youngsters who are interested in getting into STEM, London is filled to the brim with activities, clubs and courses.
It's no wonder that coding is more fashionable today than ever before. The ability to program is undoubtedly one of the most important skills for the current generation of children to have leading into their adult lives. In 2015, 7 million job openings required the ability to code in the US (Burning Glass) and it is known that the best way to learn is to start early. A coding camp is a great way to introduce the next generation to the most important skill of the future. While popular culture can often make coding seem a daunting and tricky skill, that is far from the truth. Programming is a skill which everyone can learn.
Have you ever wanted to have a small model of your own head? With the amazing advancements in both 3D printing and 3D scanning technology, it is now easier than ever to achieve great quality 3D scans of small objects and print them yourself on any 3D printer.
If you were asked to describe a robot 10 years ago, you might have come up with something along the lines of a large silver box covered in lights and dials, with 2 arms, 2 legs and a human-like head – the reality of modern robots is of course quite different! Robotics and electronics in our daily lives are becoming more prevalent by the day, not just in labs and factories, but at home and in the office as well.
We’ve recently built up a prototype of our Invent! system (www.inventblocks.com) using the Raspberry Pi. Invent! is a system to rapidly build robots, learn coding in schools, and even prototype inventions by engineers. We’ve now got three versions of the system, each using different microcontrollers.
With technology now so central to our modern lives, it can be difficult to know how to keep ourselves safe online, let alone keeping our children (who seem to know more about it than we do) safe too! To help out with this, we have created a brand-new course for this year, Cyberspy Academy, designed to teach children all about digital security and staying safe online.
Does your child play too many computer games?
We often have conversations with parents who are worried their child plays too many computer games. Is it as bad as it seems? Believe it or not, playing computer games (within limits!) has some well-researched benefits.
In preparation for the Kickstarter of our Invent! Robotics Kit, we have been busy here at Tech Camp HQ designing some fancy new packaging to give a premium-quality kit. We have never been particularly happy with the way the cables are stored in the box - most of the parts are held in with a layer of laser cut foam, but there is a lot of empty space left in the box so the cables (and other parts) end up going everywhere!
Out of all the courses we run, no tech is so fast changing at the moment as drone racing (OK, maybe 3D Printing is pretty close …) Every year when we review our drones, there are major steps up in what capabilities you can shove into a tiny drone. Now a drone that is able to fit into the palm of your hand can capture cinematic-quality footage.
Have you been thinking of sending your child on a residential Summer Camp? It can be daunting for both parents and their children but there are some great benefits for your youngster to experience from having time away, particularly if the camp you choose has an emphasis in a field that the camper is interested in – sport, music or tech for example.
As a parent, it can be difficult knowing where to start when it comes to getting your children started with programming. With more and more schools offering computer science for GCSE, and teaching programming instead of just Microsoft Office during ICT lessons, it has never been more important to get started early!
3D Printing is a rapidly evolving industry, with new products, research and breakthroughs appearing every day. But it’s not all just about printing a new phone case, storage box or small plastic toy – 3D printing technology has a growing number of exciting real-world applications, which are becoming ever more important to businesses all over the world.
Do you have a computer whizz on your hands? Would your child love to meet new friends who are also interested in technology?
If you’re based in London or Winchester, your child is always welcome at one of our technology camps. We offer a huge choice of courses which are ideal for any budding inventor.