3D Printing, Healing and Learning with Zortrax M200
Hospitals are certainly not the happiest places we can imagine – that’s for sure. But have you ever heard of hospitals where the healing process is also accompanied by learning 3D printing, designing and modeling? We bet you haven’t! But it’s still ok, as we have got a story to tell you – check it down below.
Practical 3D printing lesson in hospital
Patients with the Potential
We already know our Italian fellows for engaging in such projects as 3D printing “tangible memories” or blind and seek device, so it came as no surprise that they couldn’t stay restless after hearing about the initiative of DEAR and PLUG. The project organized by the foundations was aimed at helping to promote the literacy in the field of modeling, digital fabrication, design, electronics, 3D printing and more among the teenage patients in hospitals. Thanks to this the patients who were waiting for the operations could spend the time by learning about the latest technologies.
Healing by Learning
Kids are the best, especially when it comes to grasping the latest technologies and being creative. Wasting such opportunity to mix and develop these two would be surely a mistake. Alberto and Asanka from 3DP World know it well so they didn’t hesitate after being asked for participating in the sponsorship of the project. As these 3D printing enthusiasts have lots of experience when it comes to the latest technology they also came with the proposal to provide a specialist training on the matter for all the volunteers who took part in the project.
Young patients learning about 3D printing
Too Cool for School
Indeed. One of the purposes of the Robo&Bobo project was to provide learning experience of the subjects, which are different from these that you can be thought at school. And when it comes to the details of the course you can see yourself that that’s no small potatoes. The project will mainly focus on “the creation of simplified artifacts, customizable through a combination of common materials and recycled electronic components and sensors (electronic boards like Arduino for example)”. All the activities were aimed to make the new technologies more comprehensible for the young learners and to help to boost interest in the skills that are emerging on the current job market.
They Can Do IT
We all know that the very process of learning is not so efficient when it boils down only to memorizing, repeating and testing. The fun factor is quite essential here. Yet, the creators of Robo&Bobo project thought about everything as “the project’s learning-by –doing approach merges innovation, education and inclusion. It is geared towards the development of both technical skills and personal inclinations. Through the guided, practical discovery of technological materials, problem solving and fun, kids get used to working to pinpoint problems and opportunities, come up with possible solutions, create artifacts and test results.” When it comes to practical part, the children could simply 3D print their designs on Zortrax 3D printers which, as we got to know, was a really positive experience.
Zortrax M200 3D printer in hospital
Of Course
The first course of such type took place in one of the hospitals in Turin, Italy. The whole project was a common initiative of PLUG and DEAR associations with TODO also with the support of Fondazione Vodafone Italia that collaborated with Il Sole 24 Ore. Thanks to the sponsors including companies like Roland DG, 3DP World and Tiger, not to forget the group of volunteers also from Quattrolinee, and medicians they succeeded in conducting a 6 months long workshops. After receiving further sponsorship they are planning to conduct other courses in the hospitals across Italy. Surely we keep our thumbs up for the development of the project being at the same time proud that once again Zotrax 3D printers could be used to help, educate and bring some pure fun for kids.