UTICA, N.Y. (Aug. 6, 2024) – The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate partnered with local organizations to provide a three-day STEM camp that introduced local youth to skills-building activities in STEM. High school students representing eight local schools created AI-enabled smart doorbells during this camp, titled Ring & Run Towards STEM.
The camp kicked off with inspirational speeches by technical experts from AFRL and Quanterion Solutions. Engaging instruction in Internet of Things (IoT) technology equipped the students to collaborate in small teams in creating a smart doorbell using a Raspberry Pi. During the camp, the students also enjoyed interacting with AFRL’s robotic dog as well as touring the Innovare Advancement Center. Students prepared speeches to share the skills they learned, which they presented at the conclusion with their parents in attendance.
Ring & Run Towards STEM was sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) through ORION, the Open-Architecture, Resilient Internet of Things for Operational Networks, which is a state-of-the-art ecosystem operated by subject matter experts to facilitate the development, test, and evaluation of IoT solutions. ORION is a collaborative effort between AFRL, Assured Information Security (AIS), Quanterion Solutions, the Griffiss Institute, and the New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC).
The event’s instruction was planned, developed, and presented by Quanterion Solutions’ Michael Corley, Senior Software Architect. Corley designed the curriculum to help youths discover Internet of Things technologies while inspiring the students to pursue these topics on their own.
“These hands-on STEM activities empower students by exposing them to emerging technology they can apply to a wide range of careers,” said Corley. “As instructors and mentors, it was very rewarding to experience modern technology through the students’ eyes and see our curriculum spark interest in STEM careers.”
Cully Patch, Senior Program Manager at Quanterion Solutions, led the event coordination and acted as the course’s lead mentor.
“These students are the future of our workforce – a workforce that is rapidly changing to meet growing technology demands,” said Patch. “Quanterion Solutions is proud to be a part of shaping tomorrow’s generation of engineers, scientists, and solution developers, keeping the nation at the forefront of technological innovation by inspiring our youth to pursue careers in STEM.”
Other technical experts from Quanterion Solutions as well as AFRL’s Anthony Macera, Senior Computer Engineer/Senior Program Manager at AFRL Information Directorate and Kristi Boardman, Associate Computer Scientist, were on hand to guide the students through their projects.
A UAS Hack event by ORION is scheduled for Aug. 19-23 culminating with ORION’s ribbon cutting on Friday, Aug. 23. A professional ORION workshop, Wearable IoT for Healthcare and Defense, will be hosted Oct. 10 at the Innovare Advancement Center in Rome, NY. The ribbon cutting event and Wearable IoT for Healthcare and Defense Workshop are accepting registrations. Visit https://orionassured.com for more information about ORION events.
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About ORION
Open-Architecture, Resilient IoT for Operational Networks (ORION) is a versatile Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) ecosystem at the forefront of IoT advancement, dedicated to the development of groundbreaking IoT solutions.
ORION is run by a team of software engineering, cybersecurity, managed cloud services, and big data analytics experts, offering a variety of solutions from data management as-a-service and security assessments to custom IoT implementations. The ORION project is a dynamic collaboration between AFRL, Assured Information Security (AIS), the Griffiss Institute, NYSTEC, Quanterion Solutions Incorporated, and other key contributors.
ORION’s mission is to empower government, industry, and individuals to harness the full potential of IoT.
About Quanterion Solutions Incorporated
Quanterion Solutions Incorporated, headquartered in Central New York, provides analytical services, products, and training in cybersecurity along with managed cloud services; reliability, maintainability, and quality; information-systems management; software development; and information and knowledge management. Visit http://www.quanterion.com to learn more.
This material is based on work supported by the United States Air Force, Contract No. FA8750-19-C-0013.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Air Force.