ThnigQbator: Where ideas turn into innovations!
Once upon a time..
Anusree K Babu is a 23-years old recent college graduate from IITMK Trivandrum and currently works as an engineer in the Automotive Business Unit at TATA ELXSI.
During her second semester in college, she joined the local thingQbator, motivated by her interest to learn about new technologies such as the Internet of Things, Anusree soon started to tinker with electronics and acquired hands-on skills by working with devices such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi. These mini-computers allow the user to experiment and run one or multiple programmes.
A Wish Comes true!
Anusree, in particular, learnt how to work with different kind of sensors and their integration. She then applied her newly gained skills and knowledge in a Smart Parking Assistant project, which detects whether a parking lot is available and makes parking space management easier for both customers and car park owners.
Anusree feels that thingQbator is not like a typical classroom or even a lab. Here one can self-learn and learn from; and with others, and can make something based on one’s own ideas and create something unique out of it. This is also the biggest difference between how we learn in college and schools and how we get hands on experience at the thingQbator.
And he lived happily ever after
Ultimately, the time spent experimenting, developing and learning in the thingQbator also changed the way Anusree acquired new knowledge. “Rather than learning pre-given knowledge from textbooks, I started to search and learn new things on my own,” she says.
Anusree expressed that the practical experience she gained during this time was an important part for her to secure highly competitive internships as well as to get the placement for her current job.
“The uniqueness of thingQbator lies in the way of how students can develop their own ideas from start to finish. Here we focus much more on learning new things and developing something unique based on our own interests and ideas. It makes us more creative”…..Anusree
