Seth Wiseman is the designer and development manager of the Mobile Maker Lab, a project of the IYRS School of Technology & Trades in Newport under an R.I. Commerce Corp. industry cluster grant. Built inside a 28-foot trailer, the lab brings advanced manufacturing and automation technologies to students and educators right in their schools.
Wiseman spoke with Providence Business News about his role in making the lab a reality and how it aims to promote manufacturing in Rhode Island.
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PBN: How did the Mobile Maker Lab come together from conception to launch?
WISEMAN: The Mobile Maker Lab concept began at IYRS School of Technology & Trades a couple years ago. Though it is not unique, as there are other like vehicles around the country, IYRS felt that it could help build awareness of 21st-century manufacturing jobs – especially for young people entering the workforce soon. IYRS joined forces with R.I. Commerce Corp., the R.I. Department of Labor & Training, Rhode Island College, and Polaris MEP. Everyone got the concept and the value right away.
Working as a design consultant, ConForm Lab was brought on to move the concept through design, development and implementation, levering a series of public design charrettes, which started in March in Providence and ended recently at IYRS in Newport. The bulk of the summer was spent building out the 28-foot car hauler to include a modular storage system, integrating mechanical and electrical systems, and then we purchased technology and equipment. After a soft launch in early July, the Mobile Maker Lab hit the road in earnest in September, going to events and high schools in Rhode Island.
PBN: What distinguishes the Mobile Maker Lab’s advanced manufacturing and automation equipment from other manufacturing technologies?
WISEMAN: Prior to the public design charrettes, there seemed to be an implicit agreement that technical novelty carried a lot of value. The learner experiences discussed in the charrettes, however, were not primarily focused on demonstrating new technology. Perhaps surprisingly, the technology tended to be supporting rather than center stage, and in most cases, needed first and foremost to be robust, flexible and provide access to as many different learners as possible.
This discovery is particularly useful because anything that must be new must be continuously renewed. If it is important for the Mobile Maker Lab to be cutting edge, the machines must be replaced regularly to avoid obsolescence. By moving the technology to a supporting role, the result is far more sustainable. With this in mind, the Mobile Maker Lab is packed with a variety of consumer-grade technologies, including CNC routers, 3-D printers, embroidery machines, vinyl cutters, humanoid robots, and other technologies and processes geared to generate interest and excitement for high school learners.
PBN: Why is it so important for students to get hands-on experience with this technology? What does the lab mean for the state’s manufacturing industry?
WISEMAN: The term manufacturing comes with a lot of historic baggage, some of which may not be enticing to Generation Z, or those in high school or younger. The goal of the Mobile Maker Lab is to demonstrate what manufacturing, and making more generally, looks like today: a partnership between people and technology.
Access to these resources provides students an opportunity to experience design thinking and/or creative problem solving, something that test-taking does not always offer and something at the core of an IYRS education. Further, experiential, project-based learning offers students an entry point based on their interests. Although we are still testing the results, our programming is developed to introduce four key outcomes (spatial awareness, technical awareness, creative mindset and design process) while adjusting the project’s learner skill sets: interests, experience, time, etc. Though the lab is in the field, we still consider this the beta phase.
PBN: What schools and organizations has the lab partnered with so far, and what feedback have you received from students and educators?
WISEMAN: While many of the events to date have been exploratory in nature, and focused primarily on outreach, each event has provided a great opportunity to present the concept of the Mobile Maker Lab. Our first school visits took place at the New England Laborers’ Academy in Cranston, followed by an event at Blackstone Academy in Pawtucket, which included a visit from the governor and the secretary of commerce. We visited Ponaganset High School on Tuesday, and West Warwick High on Wednesday. In the coming weeks, we plan to be back and forth across the state in hopes of visiting upwards of 20 venues in the September-December time frame.
PBN: Looking ahead, what new programs or partnerships do you have planned for the Mobile Maker Lab project?
WISEMAN: Since the Mobile Maker Lab is itself new, we are focused on ensuring a great experience for those high schools and students who have scheduled a visit this fall. That said, the Mobile Maker Lab has received great support and input from the various community groups and the opportunity to bring students together with industry experts through programming has been a topic of conversation. Additionally, we met with representatives of Rhode Island’s Advanced Coursework Network to discuss the potential of offering programming on that platform as well. It seems that every time the Mobile Maker Lab hits the road, a new opportunity materializes.
Galen Auer is a PBN contributing writer. Email galen.auer@gmail.com or follow on Twitter at @PBNAuer.
