Innovation Station

More than 650 people visited Innovation Station in just 14 days, 93 people attended 12 workshops, 31 projects started, 18 solutions prototyped!

Innovation Station photos. Image Credit: Will Nickley

Innovation Station

LTH continues its work with Columbus' local Veterans Affairs Outpatient Center (VAOPC) to pioneer new programming for military veterans looking to reintegrate into civilian life.

Open August 5 - 30, 2019, the Innovation Station is a pop-up maker-space offering opportunities for all to learn and build using maker tools - from 3D printers to Arduino and everything in between - and it's completely FREE and open to the public!

The Innovation Station will feature daily activities and design challenges, pecha-kucha style talks from local experts, as well as opportunities to share hands-on learning experiences with those who have served our country.

See below for lots more information about Innovation Station, including a schedule of events and activities, a list of tools, visiting hours, location details, goals and audience, and stats about engagement!

Innovation Station Location

You will find Innovation Station at the Chalmers P. Wylie Outpatient Center (or Columbus VAOPC), in Columbus, OH, just West of Stelzer Rd./James Rd., South of 5th Ave.

Visitors by bus can ride the COTA 7 or 23 lines to the Stelzer Rd. & N. James Rd. stop, which is a 3 minute walk from the main entrance.

Visitors by car will find accessible parking in the South lot. It's a 1-minute walk from the main entrance, there is also a free shuttle service.

Once inside the main entrance, visitors can inquire about the "LRC" at the information desk. Or, they can continue walking straight from the main entrance past the information desk, past the Starbucks Coffee on the left, until they reach a courtyard area. They will find large glass windows and doors on the left leading to the "LRC" and also the Innovation Station. If they reach the elevators, they've gone too far.

Use the search term "Columbus VA Hospital" in Google Maps to find the correct location, or see the map on this page, main entrance marked.

Innovation Station Schedule

Innovation Station Hours: Weekdays August 5 - 30, 10am - 3pm.

Check back soon - we're filling up our schedule of events, activities, speakers, and topics!

Weekly Themes:

Week 1 - Problem Framing
Week 2 - Discovery
Week 3 - Making / Prototyping / Testing
Week 4 - Design Sprint / Delivery / Customer Feedback

Speakers & Workshop Leaders

Throughout the Innovation Station schedule, visitors will be able to engage with local maker & design "experts" through presentations and workshops!

Check back soon - we will continue to update this list as more speakers and workshop leaders join our schedule!

Dr. Alex Bandar, Founder, Idea Foundry

Dr. William Ball, Founder, MakerX; Scholar in Residence, Capital University

Jim Stevenson, President & Supporting Instructor, International Center for Creativity

Michael Cao, Founder & CEO (Chief Extrusion Officer), IC3D

Seth Kilian, Founder, Iron & Hide Customs

Will Nickley, Industrial Designer; Co-Founder, Local Tech Heroes

Debra Whittingham-Short, Innovation Specialist, Columbus VAOPC

Tool Inventory & Resources

From cardboard and duct tape to 3D printing, Innovation Station is well-equipped for your project!

If you're looking for help with your project, you can ask an Innovation Station "maker expert" or "maker in residence".

You can also connect with a local designer or engineer using our "Ask A Hero" iPad station!

See below for all of our current tools and resources. We'll continue to add all the goodies you can use while you visit Innovation Station as we acquire them!

"Ask A Hero"

Check out video introductions from local design and engineering professionals who will be volunteering their time to answer your questions and advise you as you work on your maker project!

"Ask A Hero" Portal

Maker Experts & Makers in Residence

On-site "maker experts" and "makers in residence" are ready and willing to help with your Innovation Station project!

3D Printing

2x Lulzbot TAZ (Columbus VA)

2x Lulzbot Mini

Lots of filament (sponsored by IC3D)

Image credit: Lulzbot

3D Scanning

1x mobile 3D scanner by Knockout 3D

Virtual Reality

1x Oculus Rift VR station with headset, motion trackers, controllers

Gravity Sketch, Medium

Image credit: Dezeen

Micro-Electronics

An entire workstation provided by Capital University

Arduino, Microbits and Raspberry Pi

Lo-fi Prototyping

Cardboard, duct tape, clay, scissors, pipe-cleaners... anything to make a quick, low-fidelity prototype!

Leatherwork

You will make your own leather goods in a special workshop with guest leatherworker Seth Kilian of Iron and Hide Customs.

Photo/Video

2x iPad Mini photography and videography units (sponsored by g2o)

Coding

4x Macbook Air workstations with micro-electronics coding support

2x iPad Mini with Scratch and Swift Playgrounds

Web Design Basics

Learn to build your own, free website using Google Sites!

3D Modeling

4x Macbook Air workstations with TinkerCAD and Autodesk Fusion 360 (sponsored by Aspen Capital Company)

Who is the Innovation Station audience?

Because of it's unique location within the Columbus VA, right next to a cafe and seating area in the main "courtyard", we expect to primarily see:

- military veterans
- VA staff, including social workers, doctors, psychologists, therapists, etc.

We also expect to encounter:

- family/friends of military veterans
- other typical visitors to the VA

We hope to recruit a third audience, which might include:

- specific school or summer camp groups
- employees of a partner organization

What are Innovation Station's goals?

Educate and engage the Innovation Station audiences by providing programming and activities to participate in "maker culture" and design thinking
Foster the development of a STEAM/maker/design Ecosystem by providing informal networking opportunities for veterans, VA staff and the Columbus community.
Grow the VA's in-house problem-solving and design capabilities by providing exposure for the group of veterans solving problems with design thinking and 3D-printing at the VA year-round.
Develop pathways for military veterans to reintegrate into civilian life by providing access to tools, people and organizations in the world of STEAM/maker/design.
Connect the veteran community with the broader Columbus community by providing an inviting, interactive space for creativity and problem-solving.

How can I be involved?

Give a 6m40s "pecha kucha" style talk (also like a TED talk, topics vary, but should be related to STEAM/maker culture/design and your organization)
Give a 30-60 minute workshop (participants should be able to make something)
Provide maker-space tools or technologies
- this could be as involved as developing an activity station for use during the entire month of August
- this could be as simple as a monetary donation to fund the purchase of equipment or consumable materials
Design programming or activities for Innovation Station participants
- this could be as involved as creating an entire challenge kit for participants to work on for multiple weeks
- this could be as simple as suggesting an activity that has worked well for you in the past
Organize a visit / field trip
- this could be as involved as bringing a group of colleagues/co-workers to Innovation Station over a lunch hour
- this could also involve inviting a group from innovation station to your place of work for a tour (VA may be able to cover transportation)
- this could be as simple as showing up during operating hours
Provide a challenge for our Innovation Station makers
- this could be as involved as presenting a problem/challenge during opening week, then returning multiple times to review solutions and pick a "winner"
- this could be as simple as providing an open-ended problem/challenge brief you/your organization faces
Recruit volunteers
- this could be as involved as helping to staff a particular station or activity for its duration
- this could be as simple as passing along Innovation Station info to interested parties, having them contact Will@LocalTechHeroes.org
Monetary support - LocalTechHeroes is a 501c3, we use funding to purchase materials and to cover administrative costs... we have no paid staff!
Other? Have a talent you'd like to share? Contact us and let us know how you would like to help!

Thanks to our Supporters!

Local Tech Heroes could not provide the Innovation Station program without generous support!

Although LTH uses charitable contributions across many programs, we would like to thank the IC3D and Aspen Capital for their additional support in providing the technology for this program.

Click here to learn how to Be Involved!