Tech Camp Blog

We’ve recently built up a prototype of our Invent! system (www.inventblocks.com) using the Raspberry Pi.  Invent! is a system to rapidly build robots, learn coding in schools, and even prototype inventions by engineers.  We’ve now got three versions of the system, each using different microcontrollers.

With technology now so central to our modern lives, it can be difficult to know how to keep ourselves safe online, let alone keeping our children (who seem to know more about it than we do) safe too! To help out with this, we have created a brand-new course for this year, Cyberspy Academy, designed to teach children all about digital security and staying safe online.

Does your child play too many computer games?

We often have conversations with parents who are worried their child plays too many computer games.  Is it as bad as it seems?  Believe it or not, playing computer games (within limits!) has some well-researched benefits.

In preparation for the Kickstarter of our Invent! Robotics Kit, we have been busy here at Tech Camp HQ designing some fancy new packaging to give a premium-quality kit. We have never been particularly happy with the way the cables are stored in the box - most of the parts are held in with a layer of laser cut foam, but there is a lot of empty space left in the box so the cables (and other parts) end up going everywhere!

Out of all the courses we run, no tech is so fast changing at the moment as drone racing (OK, maybe 3D Printing is pretty close …) Every year when we review our drones, there are major steps up in what capabilities you can shove into a tiny drone. Now a drone that is able to fit into the palm of your hand can capture cinematic-quality footage.

Have you been thinking of sending your child on a residential Summer Camp? It can be daunting for both parents and their children but there are some great benefits for your youngster to experience from having time away, particularly if the camp you choose has an emphasis in a field that the camper is interested in – sport, music or tech for example.

As a parent, it can be difficult knowing where to start when it comes to getting your children started with programming. With more and more schools offering computer science for GCSE, and teaching programming instead of just Microsoft Office during ICT lessons, it has never been more important to get started early!

3D Printing is a rapidly evolving industry, with new products, research and breakthroughs appearing every day. But it’s not all just about printing a new phone case, storage box or small plastic toy – 3D printing technology has a growing number of exciting real-world applications, which are becoming ever more important to businesses all over the world.