UCL's Festival of Engineering promises robots, VR and a live link to space.
Ever wanted to drive a Mars rover? Honestly, it'd be a bit rubbish. The time lag to get a signal to Mars and back would make driving no fun. But you can do something better at UCL's Bloomsbury campus and drive a model rover here on Earth. Better than the real thing!
That's one of the many hands-on exhibits at the university's Festival of Engineering, a week-long event whose family days are on 19-20 July 2024.
And the rover fun is just the tip of the comet when it comes to space stuff. On the Saturday, organisers promise a live link to the International Space Station, and your actual NASA astronaut Dan Tani will be bouncing around the campus in person. Learn about the engineering behind heat shields, and the challenges of growing vegetables on Mars.
There's space for much more, besides space. The event runs along four main themes — climate, healthcare, data and inequality — with over 80 hands-on exhibits and workshops tackling these important areas. For example, Professor Mark Miodownik and Associate Professor Helen Czerski (both seasoned broadcasters) will be on hand with other materials engineers to look at the possibility of a fully recyclable world.
Other highlights — to pick a random few — include 3D printed skulls, "liquid levitation", force-sensing gloves and an autonomous vehicle simulator. Alongside the interactive events will be a series of talks aimed at the general public, from big questions like 'Can Engineers Save the World?' to quickfire presentations by current UCL students on their areas of research.
Events are also taking place at the UCL East campus in the Olympic Park. These include a chance to meet (and help design) jellyfish-style robots that could help clean up the oceans.
The festival is free to visit, but you're recommended to book in advance.
The Festival of Engineering's public open days are at UCL's Bloomsbury and East Campuses, 19-20 July 2024, 10am-3.30pm. All images courtesy of UCL.
