Two 3-D printers are working diligently behind Lone Star College student Johnathen Filar as he sits in front of his computer screen, observing the development of his class assignment.
He talks to a group of classmates seated around him as the machines build a plastic carrying case for his collection of die-cast automobiles.
“You just have to design something for this class project,” Filar, a second-year student of mechanical engineering, explained.What it is doesn’t matter. All it needs is a specific number of pieces.
Filar is spending his afternoon in the Learning Innovation Lab at Lone Star campus, a well-liked facility accessible to all students, faculty, and community members outside of the campus and housed inside the Energy and Manufacturing Institute building.
Among other things, the lab offers free use of more than a dozen 3-D printers, vinyl cutters, 3-D carving machines, large-scale printers, programmable robots, a gaming lounge, a photographic studio with video editing equipment, and virtual reality headsets.
Additionally, it has a devoted staff and student body that frequently spends their leisure time at the lab. They can hang out, be themselves, and create almost anything there.
“People think there’s a barrier to entry to play with this stuff,” said Christopher Schaefer, an engineering professor who assists in running the lab. The complete nine, the equipment, and the intellect. No. Anyone is welcome to come out here and play.
In an effort to encourage students to be more creative and hands-on with their work, the lab launched in a separate campus building around seven years ago. With the addition of new instruments and technologies over time, the lab has expanded.
Regulars in the lab, however, are excited about more guests. Despite being free, visitor data indicates that the lab is less well-liked by people outside of the college. The lab received over 500 visits from students and staff during the 2023–24 academic year, but only 42 visits from members of the outside community.
Gavin Thornton, a college lab equipment coordinator who assists in running the innovation lab, stated, “We try to tell people every time they come in: Tell your friends, your family, let them know.”
When things break, it s almost good
The air is heavy with the earthy smell of burning wood. Sterling Hughes, the lab coordinator, laughs that no one is grilling. It’s merely someone using the $6,000 GlowForge Pro, a device that cuts or engraves most materials using a light beam.
Megan Hopwood, a librarian at Lone Star College, is using it to carve her family name into a piece of wood that will eventually be used in her resin pressure pot. Before the smoke within clears and the cursive imprint is visible, the machine hums softly for almost five minutes.
Hopwood observes the outcome with satisfaction and remarks that occasionally it overheats. However, everyone that comes here will try to assist you if you’re having trouble. if you’re thinking, “Oh no, this isn’t going as planned.” They’ll just be really upbeat, saying stuff like, “We’re all going to work together.” I simply adore it.
Even though the area is filled with expensive gear with quadruple-digit price tags, it’s okay if items break or machines stutter.
Things do break down because it’s a makerspace, Schaefer said. However, when things fail, it’s almost a wonderful thing because everyone is so interested in the items. It’s like having a chance to disassemble and repair anything. Real engineering and computer science programming are things we don’t teach. There are many failures and trials, but the failures are positive.
A treasured hangout
Gregory Au and Jalen Thomas examine the jerky, repeated motions of one of the lab’s thirteen 3-D printers.
According to Au, a machining student, we are getting ready to begin producing a lifesize Zelda sword. Weeks will pass.
However, the pair has no problems with the timeline. Since the lab has become a valued social area for a group of close-knit regulars, they will be here most days until it is finished.
Schaefer asserted that the culture is what truly makes this valuable. When the students are spending time together and developing bonds, the magic happens. There is something to it. Sitting back and watching it sort of come together is a lovely thing.
During their free time or in between classes, students frequently visit the lab. Students study together, play video games, or fiddle with the lab’s virtual reality equipment when they’re not creating talking robots and 3-D printing intricate designs. The robotics club, a social group for students interested in programming and engineering, is also housed at the lab.
According to Thornton, it’s also a location where students help and guide one another with their academic work.
Someone will say, “Oh, I did that two years ago, this is how you do it,” if they witness a kid working independently on a class project, according to Thornton.
A space to collaborate
The lab is stocked with devices from previous projects: A guitar that has been 3-D printed and configured to play the iconic Guitar Hero game. An AI-powered pocket-sized robot that can communicate with people. 6,000 games built and programmed into one arcade system.
And the lab s most recent addition and prized possession: a jelly bean sorter, which uses a camera and AI to scan a pile of jelly beans and pick up the flavor that someone instructs it to locate.
Since the concept was entirely original, students even repurposed an old computer to serve as its power source. In their spare time, about 10 students and lab coordinators came in to assist with the lab’s construction. Staff and students occasionally stayed up until 11 p.m. to tinker. Ultimately, it took roughly three months to finish.
I ve never been so proud, Schaefer said. It was messy but in a beautiful way. .. We broke things, and the students got to see their professors breaking things and going. And then the students would solve problems that the professors didn t know the answers to. And it was really this not just collaborative but it was real.
The Learning Innovation Lab is located at 11521 Compaq Center W Drive, Houston, Texas 77070 in Room 110. It is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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