PHABLABS 4.0 wins 2nd prize at the Optics Outreach Games 2019

PHABLABS 4.0 won the silver medal at the 10th annual Optics Outreach Games at SPIE Optics + Photonics 2019. David De Vocht presented the European project, which is coordinated by B-PHOT and ran between December 2016 and May 2019.

David represented the SPIE Student Chapter VUB: "Optics and Photonics are both really beautiful and helpful, unfortunately, it is only one wing. We do need a second wing, like Fablabs and electronics if we want to fly and start to create a product. That is the goal of PHABLABS 4.0, to let children become the multidisciplinary engineer of the future. (Thanks to Amin Abbasi, my current supervisor at Antwerp Space, who taught me the story of the two wings.)"

"That is how I started my presentation for the Optics Outreach Games. A night where I presented the PHABLABS 4.0 to an audience, to a jury (12 people) and one big camera man. My University, VUB - Vrije Universiteit Brussel or more specifically B-PHOT Brussels Photonics, takes up the role as coordinator of this European project. My SPIE Student Chapter VUB even presented the project during the Brussels Science Day (“Dag van de Wetenschap”). Why did I choose to represent this project? The past projects for this competition were mostly concerned about photonics only. But since I have organized an engineering competition, the EBEC Benelux, inside Fablab Brussels. I immediately proposed the option of PHABLABS 4.0. I would like to thank SPIE for supporting our Chapters on this quest of introducing Photonics to the next generation!"

Watch David explain the project: