Qmod is an educational platform and modular system that teaches the fundamentals of generating, harnessing and utilising alternative energy. Qmod's core objective is to engage students into the possibilities of alternative energy through interactive story telling tutorials and hands-on experiences.
The concept is largely based on the maker movement philosophy - an entirely new production movement focused on individuals' capabilities of satisfying their own needs through innovations and inventions. This has created an entire paradigm shift in the market from purely wasteful ideologies of consumerism to a more independent self-sustainable principles of responsible living.
Over the past couple of years the maker movement has gathered increased momentum amongst nations like the US, UK and Europe and will soon be properly introduced to Africa (Maker Faire Africa, Johannesburg, 3-6 December 2014) and makers have created their own market ecosystem, developing new products and services. The combination of ingenious makers and innovative technologies such as Qmod and personal 3D printing are driving innovation in renewable energy, manufacturing, engineering, industrial design, hardware technology and education.
Anyone from the age of seven and up can be a maker; as Zach Kaplan, the CEO of Inventables stated, "It has the potential of giving anyone the tools they need to become makers and move them from passive users to active creators." That is precisely where the education industry will hopefully experience a similar shift towards a more hands-on, engaging approach to equip the leaders of tomorrow with the actual know-how of how to for instance, use everyday objects as a source for renewable energy.
Qmod looks at this need as an opportunity to provide students the knowledge and tools to better understand and experiment with renewable energy. It is this accessibility that will plant the seed for the future innovators to consider the needs of tomorrow.
The Qmod educational platform will position itself within the smart education market, to be the first of its kind to offer an interactive and hands-on approach to renewable energy education. With a strong creative software design and development sector, South Africa offers the ideal entrepreneurial structure to create a smart educational programme specific to its energy needs.
Organisations such as the Silicon Cape initiative can provide the perfect environment to attract interest, highlight opportunities and challenges, and above all, create a focus on the opportunity to merge the need for innovative solutions in energy, with a renewable energy educational platform.
