NUI Galway is to become the first institution in Ireland to join an EU funded photonics project, aimed at showcasing the technology to people of all ages.
PHABLABS 4.0 is a Europe wide scheme aimed at inspiring young people, emerging entrepreneur and those with technical qualifications to explore the technology of light.
The centre will be located in the Maker Space at the university and will offer access and support to people who wish to test and prototype ideas.
Among the planned events at the centre are 33 hands-on workshops and 11 Challenger projects, while toolkits will also be available for different age-groups to try out.
“Photonics is one of the key enabling technologies driving the internet, cinema, medical diagnostics and device manufacture, art, intelligent robotics and ultimately the economy,” said Professor Martin Leahy, Chair of Applied Physics at NUI Galway.
“PHABLABS 4.0 is a global, collaborative, knowledge sharing network that provides a platform for learners, educators, technologists, researchers, makers and innovators, providing stimulus for local entrepreneurship.”
“We hope the Galway hub will be used regularly and that the technologies you have dreamed about can be brought to life.”
Photonics is used in a whole host of sectors and industries, including energy, aerospace, mobility, food safety, healthcare, bio-photonics, ICT and manufacturing.
The hope is that PHABLABS 4.0 will inspire people to find out more about photonics, experiment with it and even try to build products through it.
More information is available at www.phablabs.eu.
