SUMMER CAMP AT UIET, PU ON AROUSING ENGINEERING SKILLS IN SCHOOL CHILDREN 

Chandigarh, June 27, 2019: University of Engineering and Technology (UIET), Panjab University has organised a summer camp for school children to introduce them to engineering skills during the summer vacation.This is  a 5 day hands-on training camp, being held by the Design Innovation Centre supported by MHRD, in the Mechanical Engineering branch of UIET from 25th June to 29th June, 2019, jointly with Saksham Creative Education. Children are being trained on how to utilise digital electronics to make projects that carry out the desired functions. The current camp is a 5 day free training programme. It  is being conducted to develop engineering skills in schoolchildren. In the ongoing camp, 17 students are being exposed to the basics of digitally controlled applications. The overwhelming response of children and parents, suggests the need for giving such tinkering experiences to school children more often in the Tricity. The course is open to students studying in class 7th upwards. UIET may organise more such courses this summer and at the schools in neighbourhood, through the year.  The camp experience is built around using an electronic platform, called Arduino,  available freely for as small amount as Rs 500/- . The children aretaught how to write commands for it and use for conducting interactive functions.  They are now able to themselves connect Arduino board with different sensors and motors, write codes, make circuits and run them for a planned project. This gives the students a very creative and useful exposure to the process of prototyping marketable products based on microelectronics, electrical and mechanical engineering. In the present camp children have made systems that recognise  specific temperature and movement signals or work in desired order to drive a panel of lights, motors and buzzer. Advanced applications of such skills are limitless, and include creating interactive robots, drones, forensic and surveillance systems, home appliance sand controls.  The students are provided with a basic Arduino kit which includes necessary equipment for beginners. Lecture, quizzes, hands on experience with Arduino and sensors , mentoring andfeedback sessions make this camp a very intuitive and effective way of imparting knowledge to school children. Dr Manu Sharma, faculty in Mechanical Engineering is co-ordinating the Camp.