Mason Innovation Week Presented by FESTO
In celebration of the City of Mason’s Bicentennial in 2016, Festo partnered with education providers, businesses and the community for Mason Innovation Week, an event designed to educate and inspire students of all ages to take interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and career paths. Throughout the week, Festo demonstrated two bio-inspired projects from its Bionic Learning Network to showcase how principles from nature provide inspiration for technical applications and industrial practice. The University of Cincinnati, Sinclair Community College, City of Mason Schools, and Kings Mills Schools all collaborated as strategic partners. As part of the City of Mason’s commitment to promote the growth of advanced technology, bioscience and talent attraction, Mason Innovation Week was an enriching experience for our entire community.
The BionicOpter is modeled after the dragonfly. Weighing only 175 grams (approx. 6 oz), it can master the dragonfly’s highly complex flight maneuvers including hovering mid-air and flying in all directions. Technically speaking, Festo has created an ultra-lightweight flying object that can master the flight capabilities of a helicopter, airplane and glider combined.
Learn more about the BionicOpter here.
Learn more about the BionicOpter here.
Inspired by the herring gull, SmartBird is an engineering marvel that demonstrates how nature provides new inspiration for advanced automation technology. Made of carbon fiber and polyurethane foam, the SmartBird only weighs 450 grams (approx. 1 lb) and has a wing span of two meters (approx. 6.5 feet). It can start, fly and land autonomously – with no additional drive mechanism.
Learn more about the SmartBird here.
See Festo's SmartBird TED Talk here.
Learn more about the SmartBird here.
See Festo's SmartBird TED Talk here.
Thanks to Mason Innovation Week Partners
Demonstration Live Streaming
Festo, the City of Mason and its education partners invited students of the region to be a part of a series of bionic robot demonstrations, informational presentations and interactive experiences. Due to space limitations, Mason Innovation Week was an invitation-only event that sought to expose students to these immersive experiences to foster STEM education. However, the public was invited to tune in to a livestream broadcast of Mason Innovation Week events.
ACCELERATING TECHNOLOGY
CONNECTING TALENT
Festo and the City of Mason have formed a strong public-private partnership which supports community education, fosters an interest in STEM education and brings economic benefits to the technology ecosystem already present in the City and region. Festo broke ground in the City of Mason in 2013 on Innovation Way, adding to the City’s bioscience and biotechnology hub. Festo will open doors in early 2016, bringing more than 250 jobs to the City along with leading technology and industrial innovations.
Festo and the City of Mason have formed a strong public-private partnership which supports community education, fosters an interest in STEM education and brings economic benefits to the technology ecosystem already present in the City and region. Festo broke ground in the City of Mason in 2013 on Columbia Way, adding to the City’s bioscience and biotechnology hub. Festo will open doors in early 2016, bringing more than 250 jobs to the City along with leading technology and industrial innovations.