The Internet of Things will revolutionise our everyday lives. ‘Wearables’ are at the core of the concept – these are tiny computers connected via the Internet that are integrated into everyday devices in a completely undetectable way. They transform these devices into ‘smart’ devices that help people to carry out various chores or engage in their hobbies.
For the children of today, working with the Internet of Things will become a given. adesso has put together IoT4Kids workshops to introduce them to this technology early on and pique their interest in tech-related topics. The workshops are held in special IoT labs where the IT service provider’s experts usually work to perfect new technology. Here, the young tinkerers have the opportunity to build their own intelligent wearables, for instance, or program robots. Supported by specialists, the kids get to have fun and make their own ideas a reality. adesso’s free IoT4Kids workshops are being held in cooperation with Tinkertank. Tinkertank is an Interactive Media Foundation initiative that aims to introduce young people to the world of technology. It was awarded the German national prize for cultural education for its creative workshop concept in 2016.
From September to November 2017, two one-day IoT workshops will be held at the seven German adesso locations: one workshop for children aged nine to 11 and one for children aged 12 to 14.
The workshops will be held in the following cities on the following dates:
• Cologne, 2 and 3 September
• Stuttgart, 16 and 17 September
• Hamburg, 23 and 24 September
• Munich, 14 and 15 October
• Stralsund, 4 and 5 November
• Frankfurt, 11 and 12 November
• Berlin, 11 and 12 November
adesso has already led IoT4Kids workshops at its company headquarters in Dortmund, where they were a big hit. “It was especially fun for me to build new things using old tech stuff. I got to be really creative, too,” said Benjamin, 11.
His father was also impressed: “The presentation for parents at the end was fantastic” The kids took electronic waste and broken toys and used them to make generators, traffic lights, robots and surreal little worlds with wobbly light-up trees. The workshop just goes to show what children and teens are capable of doing when they’re encouraged to let their imaginations soar while coming up with ways to complete a task.”
“Supporting the rising generation of IT stars is one of our main prerogatives. Here, we’re starting with the very youngest, through campaigns that we recurrently roll out at schools or our locations in order to offer children and teens the opportunity to get involved with technology at an early stage. They get to see for themselves that IT is much more than just codes and numbers,” says Andreas Prenneis, a Member of the Board at adesso. “That’s exactly what gave us the idea to hold the IoT4Kids workshops. Maybe we can get some little tinkerers interested in the world of technology and help clear the way for them to pursue a career in IT. We’re very happy that our workshops have enjoyed such a positive reception among kids and their parents, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming events.”
You can learn more and sign up for a workshop at www.adesso.de/iot4kids.
