As the first project under its new Corporate Social Responsibility program, Makers Empire is delighted to announce a partnership with the Hospital Education Services based at the The Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia.
Makers Empire will provide a complimentary licence of its 3D design and printing Learning Program to the Hospital Education Services, which assists children and students admitted to the hospital.
Makers Empire staff, Roland Peddie, Lap Leung and Anthony Chhoy, recently visited the Women’s and Children’s Hospital to host a workshop to demonstrate the learning benefits of design and 3D printing.
Representatives from the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation and SA Health also attended the workshop.
During the workshop enthusiastic teachers and staff learned first-hand how easy it is to learn to design and print in 3D and how the technology can be applied in real-life situations.
The Makers Empire team explained how the Makers Empire 3D design app, Teachers Portal and Lesson Plans aligned with the Australia Curriculum could help attendees achieve learning outcomes within their own institutions.
One of the great applications of design and 3D printing is within the medical field: 3D printing can quickly provide customised solutions for patients where single or small quantities are required. Moreover, 3D printing has the ability to improve the quality of life for many patients at a fraction of the cost of conventional applications. For example, a design for a hand can be shared and 3D printed with a roll of 3D printing material — see the robohand project for more details.
Most importantly, teachers and staff were able to create their own designs using Makers Empire’s 3D design app on hospital iPads. The Makers Empire 3D design app is designed to have users creating in 3D within minutes and does not require any knowledge of CAD or technical expertise.
As part of its ongoing sponsorship, Makers Empire will provide training and support to the Hospital Education Services as required.
Anthony Chhoy from Makers Empire commented, “we were very glad to have the opportunity to show the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Education Services and associated organisations the possibilities of creativity and innovation using design and 3D printing.”
“The teachers and staff were a delight to work with – there was so much positive energy and passion for learning in the room. By the end of the workshop the teachers and staff understood the potential of 3D printing and how our 3D printing app can serve as another tool to help young students and children at the hospital continue their learning in an easy and fun way.”
Rod Cocks, Deputy Principal from the Hospital Education Services at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital said, “it’s exciting to be at the forefront of new technology that will enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes for our students.”
