Fab Kids Lab

Exploring digital and analogue sensors to create feeders using bird-centered design

 

15

PARTICIPANTS

 

Soil, Water, Air

ISSUE

 

Barcelona

Location

What happens when the desert meets the mountains?

The Making Sense Barcelona team collaborated with a group of 15 Kuwaiti students aged 9-14 years old to explore the potential of bringing an international perspective to understanding the effects of climate change in our local environment. Working with the Smart Kids Lab activity originally developed by our colleagues at Waag Society in Amsterdam, we investigated how going from analogue sensing to digital sensing could give us a clearer picture of how pollution can affect local bird species.

From analogue to digital sensors

The students made Acid-o-Meters from red cabbage to test the pH levels of water and soil samples, as well as created DIY air pollution monitors from juice boxes and Vaseline. Afterwards, they went on a scavenger hunt to find Smart Citizen Kits that were hidden in the woods surrounding Green Fab Lab. The way to find them? Use the data that they are capturing and see how that helps you understand the environment they are in!

Understanding data to better create and deploy feeders

The students combined their new learning of how digital and analogue sensors can be used to understand our environment, and fabricated and deployed bird feeders for native species.

Get involved!

We’re still looking for emergent communities with environmental issues to solve.