QuantumCrayon is a startup based mostly in South Africa, centered on creating a group of technologists who will assist information native companies on their digital journeys by creating, evaluating, and implementing impactful know-how initiatives that propel the companies into the long run. They primarily work on telecommunications and disruptive 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) applied sciences similar to augmented actuality (AR), Web of Issues (IoT), robotics, and synthetic intelligence (AI).
Introduction to QuantumCrayon’s academic applications
Along with consulting with native companies, they provide on-line programs by means of their EduPortal website, in addition to associate with native non-profits to ship in-person academic applications to underprivileged college students that supply enjoyable, quick, and sensible dives into digital applied sciences. QuantumCrayon not too long ago ran two academic applications, one with 30 highschool college students in Gqeberha (the tip of Africa) and one other with 75 highschool college students in Soshanguve (about 100km north of Johannesburg). Each of those applications included a curriculum centered on IoT growth.
Meant outcomes of this system had been to have college students:
- Acquire wider publicity to numerous know-how domains.
- Expertise the fun of creating and making use of their very own know-how options to actual and native issues.
- Ignite an curiosity in know-how profession paths.
- Acquire consciousness of latest profession prospects and obtain profession path steerage with a ‘breadcrumb path’ to observe in furthering their formal and casual academic growth.
“We now have developed a know-how schooling program of programs designed to handle a few of the abilities growth challenges in our nation,” says Willem Boshoff, Director, QuantumCrayon Schooling. “Our goal is to encourage learners and supply them with sensible Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) abilities in order that they’ll additional their formal and casual academic growth in direction of new profession prospects in know-how. Past know-how, we’re looking for methods to provide the best variety of individuals the flexibility to positively influence their households, organizations, and communities.”
Getting hands-on with IoT
Studying IoT just isn’t simple. Educators and/or college students should choose each {hardware} and software program frameworks to work with. When making that choice, they should contemplate choices which are simple sufficient to get began with, but extendable sufficient to learn to construct one thing of goal.
To get hands-on, the QuantumCrayon curriculum makes use of their very own ‘know-how toolkit’ of sensors and actuators, however the coronary heart of the package is the M5Stack Core2 for AWS IoT EduKit reference {hardware}. The {hardware} is full of on-board options to allow a mess of IoT functions out of the field. Learners can then broaden their capabilities to cowl further use instances with lots of of plug-and-play growth choices.
To not additional disrupt or delay the training journey of pupils resulting from pandemic restrictions, QuantumCrayon tailored the latest course conclusion to be run open air the place higher social distancing and air flow may very well be maintained. This manner, studying about coding and 4IR might proceed in a time-honored custom – open air below a shady tree!
As a part of the hands-on studying element, college students prototyped and demonstrated options to deal with challenges within the native minibus taxi trade. Some examples embrace:
- Utilizing sensors to measure and show seat occupancy for COVID compliance.
- Utilizing sensors to depend passengers coming into/leaving the taxi additionally for COVID compliance.
- Utilizing smartcards to allow tap-and-go digital fare fee and enhance the passenger expertise.
- Utilizing programmable lights to show taxi locations and enhance buyer expertise.
- Deploying kits at a taxi stand and implementing good playing cards to hail precedence rides.
“To see what these younger college students are capable of construct with minimal publicity to know-how and the actual constraints they face is astounding,” stated Rashed Talukder, the top of the AWS IoT EduKit program. “QuantumCrayon has made edge software growth accessible and straightforward for learners who’re simply starting their IoT journeys.”
Making an influence in the neighborhood
Up to now, QuantumCrayon has seen enthusiasm for this system, working with a non-profit referred to as Mokgetha Thuto funded by the Telkom Basis to supply IoT coaching to lots of of learners. This system’s non-obligatory challenge day, which was held on a public vacation simply after faculty exams, had 83% turnout. Submit-program surveys confirmed a virtually 50% enhance in learners contemplating careers in know-how.
Over the subsequent few years, based mostly on the success of this program, they plan to develop their programs, cowl extra AWS companies, and attain greater than 3,000 college students.
See some featured learner-created initiatives from this cohort, displaying the breadth of options that novice learners felt succesful and assured sufficient to deal with after this system.
To study extra about QuantumCrayon and their mission of creating a group of technologists that may drive the fourth industrial revolution, go to their web site at edu.QuantumCrayon.co.za.
