The Dyson-SUTD Innovation Studios is one part of a $3 million investment by the James Dyson Foundation into STEM and engineering education in Singapore. We originally reported this story back in January 2022, and the Dyson-SUTD Innovation Studios had been officially opened as of 25th November 2022.
The Innovation Studios themselves, despite the fancy name, is really three connecting classrooms at SUTD'sSomapah Road campus. It occupies a total of 6,200 sq ft, and is lined with 3D printers, digital screens and projectors for students to use, design, present, and iterate their inventions and solutions.
The space is meant to be a formal classroom as well as community activity makerspace for project teams. And according to Dyson, engineers from the company will also provide mentorship on various topics such asEngineering Design Innovation, Intelligent Robotics, Smart Manufacturing and 3D Printing, and Machine Learning. This will be in support of SUTD's existing curriculum.
On 25th November 2022, Sir James Dyson, along with Professor Chong Tow Chong, President of SUTD, officiated the opening of the Dyson-SUTD Innovation Studios.. The opening was also witnessed by Dr Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board.
Sir James Dyson, Professor Chong Tow Chong, Dr Beh Swan Gin tour of the Studios, where an actual prototyping workshop for secondary school students was in session. A representative of SUTD told us that the Innovation Studios is not meant just for SUTD students, but also supports the school's outreachprogrammes for pre-university students on STEAMxD(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Design) activities.
Also on display during the opening ceremony, were the winners and other notable projects from the 2022 SUTD 3D Printing and Design Innovation Challenge. This is an inter-school competition open to local Singaporean high schools, junior colleges and polytechnics. It is run by SUTD and supported by the James Dyson Foundation to promote 3D printing and prototyping technologies.
SUTD President, Professor Chong Tow Chong gifts Sir James Dyson a trinket to commemorate the opening of the Dyson-SUTD Innovation Studios. The device is actually designed, developed, and 3D printed in SUTD, and is supposedly a prototype of a laser projection technology that will always stay in focus no matter the distance.