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What happens in the Lab?

Final Event of the Zukunft Akademie – Children Presented Innovative Creations from the Fab Lab

After months of intensive workshops, the Zukunft Akademie celebrated its final event at the Fab Lab of the University of Siegen. Ten talented children showcased their creative final projects in an interactive project gallery.

Aged between 12 and 16 years, these young participants already demonstrated impressive technical and creative skills: Over the past five months, ten young participants took part in workshop modules at the Fab Lab. In the end, they presented their projects. The children combined AI-generated stories with 3D-printed models and interactive touch sensors, which they programmed using the Calliope Mini.

First, each group presented their project in three minutes. Afterwards, the jury and guests had the opportunity to view the projects. The evaluation was based on the following criteria: innovation, creativity and originality, technical implementation, narrative structure, visual/sound design and presentation skills.

The winning projects are:

  1. 1st place: Dawn of Tribes by Émile Julian Schneider – Prize: Calliope Mini Microcontroller
  2. 2nd place: The Last Loaf by Dorothea Breichler – Prize: PLA filaments for 3D printing
  3. 3rd place: A Debt Unpaid by David Fedorenko and Vladyslav Halevych – Prize: Arduino Uno Microcontroller

In addition to the main prizes, all participants received a certificate of participation from the University of Siegen and a personalized, laser-engraved badge as recognition of their individual achievements in the various modules.

Parents, guests and the jury were impressed by the children’s innovation and dedication. They had participated in five different workshop modules: 3D printing & 3D modeling, Programming with Calliope Mini, Sugar measurement with a photometer, Storytelling with AI, Interactive storytelling.

The Zukunft Akademie is part of the EnvironMINT project, an applied research initiative that focuses on the creative teaching of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to young people. A key aspect of the project is its participatory approach: Together with young people, parents, teachers, and industry professionals, a concept for extracurricular STEM activities is being developed. The focus is on maker activities, which integrate not only technological but also artistic aspects.

The EnvironMINT project is a research initiative of the University of Siegen and is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The Fab Lab Siegen is led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Müller. The management and project leadership are in the hands of Marios Mouratidis. The scientific staff members Karina Oliveira, Ontika Nazmun, and Hina Firdaus are responsible for the content and operational planning of the Zukunft Akademie.

By Michelle Harwart, ago

The SIEGENIA technology camp enters its 2nd round – about marble runs and MINT

From July 8 to 11, 2024, the 2nd SIEGENIA Technology Camp took place at the SIEGENIA GRUPPE in Wilnsdorf-Niederdielfen. 8 pupils from Niederdielfen secondary school worked with trainees from the SIEGENIA GROUP, Team Fab Lab from the University of Siegen and FRids e.V. built and 3D-printed marble runs. The low-threshold activity was designed to get children interested in STEM subjects and introduce them to technical professions.

Elon Musk’s laptops, 3D printers and satellite internet were brought from the Fab Lab in Siegen to the training center to provide the necessary infrastructure. This concept proved to be very successful at the 1st SIEGENIA Technology Camp during the Easter vacations. Over four days, the children were taken from 0 to 100 – they became experts in topics relating to additive manufacturing, reverse engineering and design. The whole thing revolved around the construction of marble runs – what to do if parts of the run are suddenly missing? Measurements had to be taken with calipers – accurate to two decimal places. The measurements were then recorded on paper sketches. In the final step, the sketches were converted into digital drawings and printed out using the 3D printer.

© SIEGENIA GRUPPE

FRids e.V. once again provided support with its many years of experience in youth work. Four energetic trainees from the SIEGENIA GROUP looked after the children and provided guidance at the training center. Machines such as the band saw in particular need to be looked after, because it’s not just about 3D printing. The entire training center could be used to solve the tasks. As part of the “EnvironMINT” project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Fab Lab team at the University of Siegen investigated the conditions for the success of good STEM education. “We want to enable cool STEM formats in the region that provide low-threshold access to technical topics and at least do not obviously have to do with “learning”. “Kids are already learning enough at school,” says Marios Mouratidis, Head of the Fab Lab at the University of Siegen. In this format, the partners placed great emphasis on self-determined, problem-solving and creative action on the part of the participants. While the basics were taught after just 1-2 days, the young people were then able to use the remaining time creatively and produce their own components for the marble runs.

On the last day of the technology camp, a closing event was held to which the parents of the participants were invited. Here, the young people had the opportunity to present their results.

© SIEGENIA GRUPPE

The technology camp is organized in cooperation with Nina Herter and Sven Wiechmann from the SIEGENIA GROUP, Marios Mouratidis, head of the Fab Lab at the University of Siegen and Ulrike Monreal from FRids e.V.. The partners plan to continue promoting STEM in Siegen-Wittgenstein in the future.

On Thursday, July 11, the parents of the participants were invited to a presentation of the results.

By Michelle Harwart, ago

Transfer Tech Entrepreneurship Summer School: International guests at Fab Lab Siegen

At the beginning of August, we once again welcomed a large international group to the Fab Lab: 35 students and professors from Palestine and Tunisia took part in our TRANSFER Tech Entrepreneurship Summer School. Over 14 days, the participants received a comprehensive introduction to our Fab Lab, creative methods and basics for start-ups.

The first week included a crash course on how to use 3D printers, laser cutters and thermoforming machines. They used CAD programs to develop their own projects with a great deal of creativity, including chocolate molds. Our laser cutters were also put to intensive use. The participants used Adobe Illustrator, inkscape and other vector-based graphics programs to create their own designs, which they then cut and engraved from wood and acrylic sheets. The results included earrings, pictures, cell phone holders, bookmarks and decorative caskets.

In addition to the technical workshops in the Fab Lab, we went to the areas of our neighbors, the Entrepreneurship Center and Startpunkt 57, where we tried out soft skills and ideation methods, and completed the theoretical part with pitch training and business model canvas development. Finally, business ideas and corresponding pitch decks were developed and presented.

“It’s always exciting to have international guests here, most of the guests have left their home country for the first time or are in Germany for the first time, so we are naturally proud to make a first impression,” explains Marios Mouratidis. The Transfer Tech Entrepreneurship Summer School not only offered participants the chance to get to know modern manufacturing technologies, but also to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills. The 4th Summer School took place as part of the “TRANSFER” project funded by the European Union and served as the project conclusion.

By Michelle Harwart, ago

Children’s University 2024 with “Rubens to touch” in the Siegerlandmuseum

On September 24, Marios Mouratidis from the Fab Lab together with Dr. Philip Bojahr and Johannes Bade from the Siegerland Museum presented “A Touch of Rubens”, a transfer project funded by the Vice-Rectorate for International and Lifelong Learning.

While you are not allowed to touch most things in a museum, “A Touch of Rubens” is made for exactly that: it is primarily intended for people whose ability to see is limited. For them, there must be other ways to experience a museum exhibition. The painting “The Opportunity” by the painter Peter Paul Rubens was transformed by a 3D artist into a relief that can also speak. In this way, it tells its story without having to be seen. As part of this year’s fall season of the Siegen Children’s University, the children will learn how and with what the relief was made and can then try out the “talking picture” for themselves.

The barrier-free, inclusive communication of cultural education poses a particular challenge in the field of visual arts, as this genre is inherently subject to the primacy of sight and therefore excludes people with visual impairments. With the help of tactile interfaces and multimodal systems, visual works can be made accessible. Such systems are an important subject of research in the field of museum mediation and business informatics. Against this background, the Fab Lab has been conducting research in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) for years, particularly in a museum context; for example, as part of the Zeit.Raum Siegen project (2016-2018) in the development of the interactive city model or, most recently, in a model test for the production of touch-sensitive facsimiles of archaeological finds for the Ginsburg in Hilchenbach.

In cooperation with the Siegerland Museum, these findings were incorporated into the development of a model application for the multimodal communication of paintings. The tactile relief for Peter Paul Ruben’s painting “The Favorable Opportunity” is intended to open up the wealth of symbols in the large-format work interactively and barrier-free. Individual pictorial elements (figures/objects) can be selected by pressing them, whereby audio content is output for explanation (text and sounds). Visitors will thus gain access to the painting in terms of content, narrative and atmosphere beyond mere touch, while retaining the spatiality of the pictorial composition (in contrast to an audio guide). Building on this, the aim of the project proposed here is to implement a model application for testing in visitor operations. This project will open up a further branch of research in the Fab Lab to investigate the barrier-free, inclusive communication of cultural education. Marcel Barion is responsible for the target group-specific and professional conception and production of the content (narrative and auditory processing of the painting). The 3-dimensional model was developed by Matthias Meyer. The exhibit was created by Philip Bojahr, Johannes Bade, Jonas Kosiahn and Marios Mouratidis. “This project clearly stands for the sustainable transfer of knowledge from the university to urban society,” explains Philip Bojahr, curator of the Siegerlandmuseum.

By Michelle Harwart, ago

Train-The-Trainer Workshop for SIEGENIA trainees at the Fab Lab Siegen

From the 25th to the 28th of March, a technology camp will take place at the SIEGENIA Ausbildungszentrum, which we are organising together with the SIEGENIA GROUP and FRids e.V.. The technology camp will give pupils from regional schools the opportunity to learn the basics of 3D-modelling and 3D-printing.

In order to provide the students with the best possible support, seven motivated trainees who work at SIEGENIA in the toolmaking and mechatronics departments were introduced to 3D printing in a train-the-trainer workshop here at the Fab Lab last week. Over the course of two days, our two colleagues, Marios Mouratidis and Jonas Kosiahn, taught the trainees how the technology works and how they can design and print their own models.

At the beginning of the workshop, the trainees were given an introduction to 3D printing and the modelling software TinkerCAD. Based on that, they were able to complete their first task: they independently modelled SIEGENIA key chains in TinkerCAD and then printed them.

The trainees then worked with a ball track system and designed and printed spare parts. The trainees had the task of recreating individual parts of the ball track system in TinkerCAD and then printing them using our 3D printers. Thanks to the practical approach in the workshop, the trainees were able to apply the knowledge they had acquired directly and are now ready for the technology camp!

We are delighted to be able to support STEM education in the region with our collaboration partners, the SIEGENIA GROUP and FRids e.V.. We really enjoyed the workshop and look forward to seeing how the trainees pass on their newly learnt skills to the pupils at the upcoming technology camp!

By Marios Mouratidis, ago

The Fab Lab Team is grieving…

It is with deep sadness that we had to say goodbye to our long-time friend and professor Dr Volkmar Pipek, who passed away far too early on 6 January 2024 at the age of 56 after a long illness.

Volkmar founded our Fab Lab in Siegen in 2015 as an interface between university, industry, art and culture.

With the Fab Lab, the broad society in the Siegen-Wittgenstein area was able to experience low-threshold research for the first time at the University of Siegen, from which our lively community has developed over the past 9 years. Open, low-threshold and free access to technology and the knowledge about it has always been a matter close to his heart.

With Volkmar, the Fab Lab has been able to make a major contribution to strengthening regional innovation, with numerous companies and start-ups working and learning with the Fab Lab in the field of digital technologies.

As an out-of-school educational space, the Fab Lab has been able to inspire many young people and grow their interest in technology.

The Fab Lab has also been involved in the fields of culture and the history of the city, which has led to friendly collaborations with regional institutions.

We are losing a valued colleague and friend. We will miss him and his down-to-earth, visionary and creative nature very much. Our deepest sympathy goes to his wife, his sister and his friends.

Team Fab Lab

By Marios Mouratidis, ago

DRK x Fab Lab Siegen: 3D-Printing and Robotic Workshops for young people!

Fab Lab Siegen is not only a space for creation, but also for knowledge transfer. In our Fab Lab, we want to give everyone access to technology and knowledge. Since mid January 2023, we have been welcoming young refugees from Ukraine once a week (fridays from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm).

Together we try out different technologies. So far, we were able to get to know 3D printing, laser cutting and robotics as well as programming with the Calliope Mini. We also held a PC-builder workshop where the participants were taught how to dis- and reassemble a computer. Through hands-on activities including play-doh modeling, Tinkercad design sessions and 3D printing projects, participants can bring their ideas to life. The creations span from protective cases for the Calliope mini microcontroller, Batman-themed rings and stylish key chains, all the way to meticulously crafted miniature cars.

Using a digital hangman game, developed by Hina Firdaus, we were able to teach the children fundamental programming skills. These first experiences paved the way to showing them further programming concepts like loops, conditional statements and variables.
With this knowledge we were able to realize exciting projects, e.g., a light sensor-equipped scooter, a functional traffic light simulation and even a miniature piano that responds to its programming inputs.

Thanks to funding from the Bürgerstiftung Siegen, we were able to organize and run this series of workshops in close cooperation with the DRK Kreisverband Siegen-Wittgenstein e.V.. So far, we have held more than 35 sessions, teaching more than 20 enthusiastic participants about the technologies in our Fab Lab.

The workshops are led by our team, especially Hina Firdaus and Marios Mouratidis. In addition, we have dedicated volunteers, including among others the honorary translators Anastasiya Nazarava, Gkiorgki Tataridis and Sonal Seth as well as technical support from Florian Anderes and Mallikarjuna Reddy. All of them support our workshops, ensuring that participants have an enjoyable and inclusive learning experience.

In our Fab Lab, we are committed to creating a safe environment where people can learn and grow together with us.
We’re looking forward to the upcoming weeks! If you are interested in helping, feel free to contact Sara Schneider via E-Mail (). We are still looking for more helpers who would like to shape the program with us.

By Marios Mouratidis, ago

Build your own PC! – the Computer-Workshop

For the first time, we held a two-part workshop at the Fab Lab, where young people learnt the basics of the components that are used in a computer. Besides a few short theoretical parts, the main focus was on practice: we wanted to enable the participants to apply what they have learnt in practice.

As you might remember: with the support of SIEGENIA, we were able to transport four pallets full of computers that were donated to us. These made it possible for each participant to work on their own PC and even take it home with them at the end – free of charge!

In the first part of the workshop, we started from scratch – no previous experience needed. We clarified questions such as “What is a computer?” and “How does it work?”. To summarise briefly: A computer is an information processing machine that receives, processes and outputs data from users.

We then explained the individual components of a computer to the participants and showed them where they can be found inside the computer. The importance of thermal paste was also discussed in this section of the workshop, which helps to cool the main processor (CPU) so that the computer does not overheat.

The third and final theoretical part dealt with how a computer can be kept clean to prevent “dust bunnies” and ensure air flow. If you clean your computer regularly, you can save time and money, as it will last longer! Therefore, the individual parts must be cleaned carefully. They should be removed one by one and cleaned with cotton buds and isopropanol, never with water!

With all this knowledge, we then moved on to the practical part. The participants were now able to start disassembling their computers part by part, first SSD, then RAM, then the CPU fan and finally the CPU itself. A handout explaining the individual steps enabled the participants to work independently.

Individual parts, including the fan and the CPU, were then cleaned before the participants could begin to reassemble the computer. This also involved using the thermal paste, which was applied to the CPU in the shape of an ‘X’.

After that, the participants learnt about operating systems and installed one on their own computer. It manages applications and combines hardware and software. It is there to manage files, memory and running processes and provides the user interface.

Finally, it was important for us to inform the participants about possible dangers on the internet so that they are well prepared to use the computer after the workshop. Among other things, we took a closer look at data and browser security, phishing as well as scams. Therefore, we used case studies to illustrate these topics in a realistic way for the participants.

We had a lot of fun organising this workshop and are happy that we are able to offer such a workshop. The Computer-Workshop will continue to take place in the future. If you are interested in participating or supporting as a volunteer, you are welcome to contact Jonas Kosiahn via email (). Maybe we’ll see each other at the next one!

By Marios Mouratidis, ago

Exciting Fab-Lab-Workshops at the MINT-Mitmachtage 2023

From the 12th-14th of September 2023, the MINT-Mitmachtage took place, where local pupils had the opportunity to get to know the exciting world of STEM fields (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology). Of course, we wouldn’t miss the opportunity to take part in such an event, because it is very important to us to support STEM education and to show pupils how exciting these fields are and what kind of things you can design and create yourself. We have often had the opportunity to work with schools and make our lab available as an out-of-school educational space. This enables pupils to learn about interesting new technologies and realise their own creative projects.

For the MINT-Mitmachtage we prepared two exciting workshops for the pupils: they had the opportunity to learn microcontroller programming with a Calliope Mini kit or to dive into the world of 3D printing.

The 3D-printing-Workshop started with an introduction explaining, among other things, the structure of a 3D printer and the process of additive manufacturing, which is the process of building a model layer by layer. We then taught the pupils the basics of 3D modelling as well as the printing process and introduced them to the modelling software TinkerCad. It is free and open source, enabling the pupils, e.g., to continue modelling independently at home. After that, they were well prepared to work on their own little projects. They designed their own key chains and then printed them three-dimensionally in the DIGITALUM bus using our Prusa i3 MK3S and MK3S+ printers. They also had the opportunity to take a look at the technologies in the bus, e.g., a virtual reality station, a thermoforming machine, a laser cutter, a plotter and a soldering station.

In the Microcontroller-Programming-Workshop, the pupils learned how to give instructions to microcontrollers using block code. We showed them the importance of programming and what it can be used for, e.g., creating websites and developing operating systems. Electronic devices like mobile phones and washing machines or also traffic lights only work because of their programming. Additionally, the pupils were taught basic algorithms and the science behind programming in a playful manner. In the practical part of the workshop, the children were able to actively program something with the Calliope Mini kit. At first, they connected the microcontrollers and opened the corresponding browser version of the program “Open Roberta Lab”. They were able to choose whether they wanted to program a traffic light or a mini piano, but also had the freedom to contribute and realize their own ideas.

In total, over 1000 children took part in the MINT-Mitmachtage. We would like to sincerely thank the Regionales Bildungsbüro des Kreises Siegen-Wittgenstein for organising the event. We enjoyed giving the workshops and hope that we were able to fill many pupils with enthusiasm for the exciting world of STEM fields!

By Marios Mouratidis, ago

Project Day with the Gymnasium auf der Morgenröthe

On September 15, there was a lot going on at the Fab Lab: students from the Gymnasium auf der Morgenröthe visited us again. They spent the morning here at the Lab together with their teacher, Stefan Schramm, as part of a project day. The reason for this project day was the upcoming school fair celebrating the 50th anniversary of their school, for which each class had to prepare a stand.

The students had therefore decided to offer a wheel of fortune game with prizes. In order to plan and realize their idea here at the Lab, the students were divided into three groups.

The first group took on the task of designing and printing various prizes for the wheel of fortune game. This is where our 3D printers came into play. Different key chains as well as shopping cart chips were printed with the help of our 3D printer farm.

The second group designed and built the wheel of fortune itself. It was produced on our large CO2 laser cutter. The last group had the equally important task of documenting the entire day. The Lab Tour and the 3D printing process as well as the laser cutting, everything had been documented in the form of a video. You can watch the video here:

Overall, it was a successful project day with amazing results! It was great to see how committed and creative the students were in mastering the tasks and how well they worked together as a team. We are happy to have been able to support the students in their preparations for the school fair celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Gymnasium auf der Morgenröthe. We hope that the fair was a great success!

By Marios Mouratidis, ago