Abu Dhabi // Space shuttles with eggs as passengers, 3-D printing and semiconductors are just a few of the creations of a group of young Emirati innovators.
Pupils from across Abu Dhabi have been given the chance to take part in Tech Quest, a unique technology camp at Masdar Institute of Science and Technology.
Mariam Al Katheeri, 16, and five other group members built an “egg space shuttle”.
“The eggs represent the passengers in the shuttle and our mission is to drive them back to Earth safely,” Mariam said.
On a tight budget, each group had to come up with a business plan, logo, slogan and list of supplies needed for their inventions.
After building their space shuttles from cardboard, bubble wrap, foam cups and balloons, the five teams tested them by throwing them up in the air to see how well they landed.
“The experiment is to see if the eggs will break when the shuttle lands,” Mariam said.
Abdulrahman Al Aghbari, 16, from Ittihad Model School, worked on a 3-D printing activity called mechatronics.
“We create a cube using an application, then use a book that shows us the steps,” Abdulrahman said.
“We connect the laptop to the printer, download the image and click print. The printer produces a cube.”
Each group had to make an object that helps the “City of the Future”, the theme of the camp.
“Our group chose to design a staircase and a vacuum that sucks in the passenger,” Abdulrahman said. “It is faster and uses less electricity than elevators and escalators.”
First, the pupils drew their idea on a storyboard. They then made the object in modelling clay and measured the dimensions on an application to send to the printer.
Tech Quest is a programme organised by Advanced Technology Investment Company to help create future leaders in mathematics, science, technology and engineering.
Eighty-five students from Grades 9 to 12 took part.
Mariam said the experience was different from her school’s regular activities and gave her the “potential to grow”.
“The camp helps with our team dynamics. It’s all about teamwork,” she said. “I feel enriched with skills in just one week.”
Michelle Hollett, director of Tech Quest in Abu Dhabi said: “The point of the camp is to encourage young Emiratis to be excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
She said the pupils were having fun while learning.
“The idea is to set an inspiration, a base for the youth to go into such fields and career paths,” Ms Hollett said.
“They use these technologies that are used for the future, to utilise them in the future. The UAE needs these leaders.”
This is the second round for the camp. It began last Sunday and will continue to Friday. It takes place in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and the Western Region
For more information, visit http://www.techquest.ae
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
