Students use smart technology for space exploration – Business Weekly

Smart technology deployed by Milton Keynes-based Open University is set to prove out of this world for STEM students.

The OU Faculty of STEM is introducing remotely-controlled robotic telescopes to bring astronomy and space science research capability from the cosmos direct into students homes wherever they are in the world.

The inauguration of remotely-controlled and professional robotic telescopes, COAST and PIRATE, can be operated from students laptops, PCs, and smartphones.

The telescopes, based at the Observatorio del Teide on the island of Tenerife, are part of a 5.4 million initiative to develop the OpenSTEM Labs. Fifty per cent funded by HEFCE, the OpenSTEM Labs offer an Internet of Laboratory Things, accessible to distance learning students 24/7.

For almost half a century, the OU has been developing the latest digital technology to enhance the learning experience of students.

Senior lecturer at the School of Physical Sciences, Dr Ulrich Kolb, said: The marvels of the Universe have always sparked imagination and our fascination with studying them has really pushed the boundaries of what we can achieve through technological innovation.

Why shouldnt students at the OU be able to experience the same capabilities and technologies from the comfort of their home as researchers do from their workplaces?

We are offering our students the opportunity to access these fantastic astronomical facilities at one of the best observing sites in the Northern Hemisphere.

Free tickets are available for the inauguration of the telescopes on Thursday July 6 at The Open University in Walton Hall, Milton Keynes via the OU Eventbrite webpage.

Picture credit: Elena Mora (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias)

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Students use smart technology for space exploration - Business Weekly