Red filament instead of classic tape – creativity is part of strojLAB, and this was reflected in the grand opening of the brand-new laboratories. The Institute of machine and industrial learning at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Brno University of Technology (FME BUT) also launched a new lecture series called strojTALK, which will feature interviews with interesting personalities from the maker community. Students and staff can start using the new strojLAB design workplaces right after registering and completing the training.

The strojLAB design spaces were officially opened on Monday, October 7, in the presence of VUT Rector Ladislav Janíček, FME BUT Vice-Deans Jana Hoderová and Ivan Křupka, Head of the Institute of machine and industrial learning Martin Hartl, and guests from student teams and staff.

The workshop leaders are currently finalizing the schedule and program for training in each lab. “Those interested in training can already register on the strojLAB website, and we will send them a notification as soon as the training dates are published. We expect to organize the first round of training at the end of October. Both students and faculty staff can participate,” clarified strojLAB coordinator from the Institute of Design Engineering, Tomáš Koutecký.

All information will be published continuously on the strojLAB website, as well as on Instagram and Facebook.

strojTALK: Get a behind-the-scenes look at the best makers every month

The strojLAB coordinators also introduced for the first time the lecture series strojTALK on the occasion of the grand opening. Its goal is to offer inspiring lectures and discussions with exceptional guests who connect digital technologies with design, engineering, and science. The series will give students the opportunity to learn about the successes, innovations, and experiences of people who are creatively shaping the world around us through digital technologies.

“For the first event, we invited fantastic speakers – Jiří Zemánek from CTU, who introduced the MakerFaire concept to the Czech Republic. He also has experience with an open workshop at MIT in the US, one of the best technical universities in the world,” explained project manager David Škaroupka. The talk by students from the Brno-based LASAR team, who succeeded in a competition organized by NASA, was also a huge source of inspiration.

“With these talks, we want to continue encouraging students to believe in their ideas and turn them into reality in strojLAB,” added Škaroupka. Those interested will benefit not only from the technical facilities but also from the strojLAB student team, which forms a close-knit community and offers the opportunity to participate in exciting projects.

Recordings of the lectures will be available for those unable to attend in person on the YouTube channel of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.