As part of Innovator Show 2016, visitors were given the opportunity to unleash their creative potential and learn from leading experts through a series of hands-on workshops hosted by TechShop at Innovator Space.

During the workshops, participants engaged in hands-on activities involving woodworking, metalworking, prototyping and textiles, producing personalized take-away projects from each area.

Commenting on the workshops and the concept behind Innovator Space, Majid Al Mail, senior manager and head of the Innovator Programme, said: "Through these workshops, we wanted to provide insight into the overall experience that we offer at Innovator Space. The first space of its kind in the region, Innovator Space has been developed with world-leading companies to provide a best-in-class platform that will catalyze the UAE’s innovation capabilities."

"Through memberships, Innovators can visit Innovator Space at any time and make use of the tools, equipment, training classes and expert guidance on offer to build their ideas," he stated.

An open access workspace, Innovator Space is a crucial element of the Innovator Programme, a government initiative founded to contribute to human capital development in the science and technology industries.

Open since November 2015, the over 1000 sq m workspace is packed with professional grade equipment and staffed by experts, enabling Innovators aged 13 and over to turn their ideas into reality.

Designed and operated in partnership with TechShop, the leading operator of 'makers spaces' in the US and worldwide, Innovator Space is at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s technology innovation community.

Commenting on this, Ismael Touq, the general manager of TechShop said: "We are thrilled to welcome Innovators of all levels to the most maker-friendly space in the UAE where they can put their ideas under the test of our tools and high-tech machineries."

"We encourage individuals, groups and even companies whose goal is to create and innovate, to become members of our community and to let us be part of their creative process," he stated.
 
Through a technology partnership with Intel, Innovator Space features advanced technology and provides training in the “Internet of Things” domain.

Nasser Nauthoa, the GCC general manager of Intel, said: "Today, devices need to be able to access information on the internet in a language that all other devices can read in order to be considered “smart,” bringing us to the concept of The Internet of Things (IoT)."

"IoT is made up of billions of “smart” devices – ranging from miniscule chips to mammoth machines that use wireless technology to talk to each other – and to us! This shared data will transform many industries and will also accelerate scientific research and change the way we live," he stated.

Encouraging uptake within the innovation sector, Innovator Show celebrates home-grown UAE talent and creativity.

The show enables UAE Innovators to display their creations and provides an opportunity for like-minded individuals to collaborate, share knowledge and inspire others in an interactive format, he added.-TradeArabia News Service