Creativity the Theme in LLC Innovation Lab and Maker Space

From home automation to robots and banana pianos, Lake Land College Information Technology (IT) students are thinking outside the box and creating groundbreaking projects in the college’s new Innovation Lab and Maker Space.

Housed in Webb Hall, the space will be home to new innovation courses that instructor Scott Rhine is developing.

(CHRISTINE BROWNE ALONGSIDE HER DAUGHTER ERIN BROWNE, BOTH OF EFFINGHAM, POSE WITH A HOMEMADE BANANA PIANO, WHICH CHRISTINE DESIGNED AND CREATED IN THE INNOVATION LAB AND MAKER SPACE AT LAKE LAND COLLEGE)

“We now have the space and equipment to take what was formerly known as my Human Computer Interaction class and turn it into something more in-depth and creative for students in the IT field and beyond,” said Rhine. “The new classes will be designed for non-IT majors as well.  Everyone can benefit from increased creativity and better problem solving skills and this new lab will be an incubator for future makers and creators. We’ve been working on significantly automating the lab, which will have, what I have dubbed, a Wall of Awesome an interactive wall that visitors and especially children can use to activate different pieces of the automated lab.”

While Rhine is transitioning his curriculum for the new courses, this summer, students used the Innovation Lab to work on more than 20 unique projects. During the class, students start by learning the basic equipment in the lab and then start exploring the different project possibilities. 

(BROTHERS DANIEL AND JAMES TAGUE OF MONTROSE DEMONSTRATE THEIR WEARABLE LIGHT-UP IRON MAN REACTOR AND REPULSER, CREATED IN THE INNOVATION LAB AND MAKER SPACE DURING SUMMER TERM AT LAKE LAND COLLEGE)

After seven years of teaching this class, Rhine said, “The great thing about the class is that each student chooses the particular focus of the class for themselves. Some choose to do a project with 3D printing, some work with an Arduino or Raspberry Pi, others modify existing projects to extend their functionality. As the instructor, it is my job to get the supplies and equipment that students need and assist them when they get stuck.  It is very gratifying when I can escort them through the process from idea to full-blown creation.  Most students have difficulty believing that they can be that creative and innovative.  We’ve been a consumer society for so long that becoming a “maker” is definitely a new experience for most of them.” 

According to student Christine Browne, Effingham, the best part of creating her project, Banana Piano, was finding successful solutions to the challenges her project presented.

For this project, Browne created a custom, 3D printed Makey Makey Box, where she used a circuit board, alligator clips, and a USB cable to connect everyday objects, like bananas, to a computer. She then programmed the computer to sound a specific musical note when one of the bananas was touched.

“This project was a lot of fun,” said Browne. “After getting an introduction into SketchUp with my first project, I was able to design and 3D print a Makey box completely from scratch. The long leads presented some challenges, which were of course frustrating at times. However, coming up with a successful solution was very satisfying.”

According to Daniel Tague, Montrose, this class allowed him to build something he’s always wanted since childhood – a wearable light-up Iron Man reactor and repulsor. 

The brothers used a variety of technology including an Arduino Uno, Mp3 shields, LEDs, wires, speakers, homemade buttons, battery packs and resistors. They also plan to complete the full Iron Man suit in time.

Rhine along with some of his students, are in the process of automating the Innovation Lab. Currently, the space is partially controlled by an Amazon Echo, named Alexa, which when given certain voice commands can turn lights off and on, control equipment in the room, and provide relevant information when asked.

To learn more about the Innovation Lab or the innovation classes, contact Rhine at 217-234-5353 or  srhine@lakelandcollege.edu.