“It was so much fun!” – Holiday workshop inspires girls to take an interest in technology

^{This article has been machine translated. You can find the original article in German here.}

As soon as we entered the e-laboratory, there was a concentrated and curious atmosphere in the air. Ten girls aged between 10 and 13 listened eagerly to the presentation of their task: over the next three days, they would be building their own smart home – with everything that goes with it.

Insights into a new world

The Family Service Center at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich (UniBw M) once again offered six exciting holiday workshops this year in collaboration with various faculties and institutes. The Cyber Defense and Smart Data research institute (RI CODE) brought electronics and sensor technologies to life for the young female scientists. The focus was on having fun tinkering, drawing, and programming.

Building kits become smart homes

After a brief round of introductions, the workshop began with a small soldering exercise in which the girls – most of them for the first time – soldered electronic components onto breadboards. “In addition to the correct use of the soldering station, attention was paid to compliance with all safety measures,” emphasized Dr. Sigfried Brunner, one of the workshop leaders. At the end of this exercise, the girls made their own circuit boards with LEDs and resistors, which were later integrated into the model houses.

In the afternoon, the girls were able to give free rein to their imaginations as they designed logos for their model houses. Animal motifs such as dogs, cats, wolves, penguins, and elephants were particularly popular. The motifs were then engraved either directly onto the houses or onto small coins.

The highlight of the first day was assembling the smart homes. The girls were able to put the prepared components together step by step on their own. They were supported by an illustrated script that guided them safely through the construction process.

^{An illustrated script guided the workshop participants step by step through the construction and programming process. (Photo: UniBw M / Family Service Center)}

A talent for programming even without prior knowledge

On the second day, programming was on the agenda. Using a graphical programming language based on Scratch, the girls equipped their houses with smart functions.

Thanks to the script, the participants were able to program independently even without any prior knowledge. Those who got stuck could always count on the support of the team or the help of the other girls. This created a lively workshop atmosphere in which learning, experimentation, and creativity went hand in hand.

For a change of pace, the girls were able to solder other kits, such as a pulsating heart or a squeaking bat, and design additional logos for the house.

As a reward for their hard work and as a welcome refreshment, there was also a trip to an ice cream parlor.

The smart home comes to life

At the end of the third day, the moment had finally arrived: all participants were able to bring their smart homes to life. They proudly held their houses in their hands and took them with them as souvenirs for their well-deserved summer vacations.

The organizers would like to express their sincere thanks to:

• the CODE research institute for providing the laboratory facilities
• the Chair of Embedded Systems at UniBw M, which was responsible for supervising and implementing the technical aspects of the model houses
• the BwFuhrparkService for transport between the Cascada building and the university campus, which also gave the girls an insight into campus life
• the participants, who worked hard despite the summer temperatures.

^{Photos: © University of the Bundeswehr Munich / Nussel, Legl, Brunner}