Press Release: MakerClub Awarded TSB Funding

MakerClub awarded £80,000 by UK Government to develop revolutionary learning system using 3D printing and robotics.

A haptic feedback system that can help deliver ‘tactile learning’ through tablet computers and a way of students visiting famous locations with virtual reality headsets are just some of the projects awarded a share of the £1.1million by the UK Government for it’s “Learning Technologies: Design for Impact” competition. The call out was announced earlier this year and had over 300 applications, 15 have been picked to take forward their ideas and potentially be rolled out across the UK.
One of the key winners was, MakerClub, a Brighton based specialist in 3D printed robotics. They have been awarded £80,000 ($126,000) to carry out a feasibility study into a new way of teaching code, electronics and design using 3D printing, a mobile app and a revolutionary online learning process that they will be trialing from 2015 onwards.

Simon Riley, the founder of MakerClub laid out their vision, “We’re creating a collaborative online learning platform that works with companion robotic projects. Robots are fantastic cross curricular learning tools and through 3D printing, we can deliver them globally.”

“Rather than the usual ‘step-by-step’ construction guide, we want to create a ‘living’ environment where older ‘makers’ can teach younger through streaming video and live chat, people can upload their own robots for sale and we can play host to intuitive building instructions that are gamified and allow for wiki-style updates by their creators.”

“Our dream would be that someone with no tech experience could use our system and gain the equivalent of a degree in robotics over the course of a year – we hope schools and home learner worldwide will benefit from this research.”

Other recipients of the competition include, Technology Will Save Us, Anarkik 3D, and Interactive Science ltd. A full list can be found here.