The future: as we saw it at Maker Faire # MFR18

Maker Faire synonymous with Innovation, Inventions and Creativity has become the annual event in the itanian capital to host new technological innovations and present ourselves in which direction the future is moving.

Technology is at the center of everything and is developed within different thematic areas. Among the novelties present in the Rome Maker Faire – European Edition 2018

– promoted and organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Rome in collaboration with the Lazio Regioncircular economy, robotic innovations, artificial intelligence and space. These are the main focuses of the sixth edition # MFR18 which saw the participation of 25 universities and research centers and 55 high schools from all regions of Italy, other countries.

MAKER FOR SPACE is the area of ​​MFR-2018 dedicated to Space and designed by MFR in collaboration with the Italian Section of the British Interplanetary Society and the School of Aerospace Engineering at the Sapienza University of Rome. The history of the conquest of space, the different innovations, space flight simulators and other original historical artifacts, such as the legendary Apollo Guidance Computer and a 1:10 scale Saturn V rocket in addition to the inventiveness and ingenuity of the first Makers for Space italian

Don Eyles, programmer and engineer at MIT, who created as a true Maker part of the software of all the Apollo missions landed on the Moon, working on the newly invented Apollo Guidance Computer. Eyles together with Mark Hempsell were among the speakers at the Opening Event “Groundbreakers: Pioneers of the Future” on Friday 12 October 2018.

The inventiveness and ingenuity at the service of man’s health and well-being, but also of the environment in which he lives, safeguarding and eco-sustainability with projects and research focused on the circular economy. In fact, ecosustainability, recycling and circular economy are one of the main leitmotifs of this edition, because it is essential to move towards the future without focusing on new practices and projects guided by these new principles. According to the definition of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation  Circular economy is 

a generic term to define an economy designed to regenerate itself. In a circular economy the flows of materials are of two types: the biological ones, able to be reintegrated in the biosphere, and the technical ones, destined to be revalorized without entering the biosphere

The circular economy is therefore a planned economic system to reuse materials in subsequent production cycles, reducing waste as much as possible: at what point is our country-Italy in this light? Data from the CENSIS-AGI REPORT Circular Economy
Un valore da comunicare”

THE MAKER FAIRE IS GREEN
From waste to resources, this is the principle on which today research, training and various projects of recovery of natural substances, antioxidants and biopolymers are based, to improve the environmental impact and pollution of industrial processes, and at the same time to recover and give a ‘second life’ in food, nutraceutical, cosmetic and energy to some waste products.

Some of the projects and perspectives present at this edition of the Maker Faire that meet scientific research, training and applications in various sectors.

FOOD OF THE FUTURE

From the Future Food Institute to the talk with Joseph Puglisi – professor at the Department of Structural Biology at Stanford University, just awarded the City of Food Master Award at the Bologna Award 2018, and member of the Beyond Meat advisory committee on the topic of plant proteins and of the food of the future – from the laboratories to the various stands with innovations in the hi-tech field, the different proposals and new ways of approaching food through new technologies.

Food and technology: meet targeted training

Francesco Bianchi, General Coordinator of the ITS Foundation – Tech and Food, Emilia Romagna. It presents the projects carried out within the training institute: pesto with oil obtained from the pressing of tomato seeds and celery salts, biscuit made with 3D printer and insect flour. Eco-food with substances recovered from industrial waste and reused.

 

THE VALORISATION OF THE WASTE

Bio-products: raw materials and the wealth of a territory

Isabella Pisano, researcher in biotechnology at the University of Bari. She presents the projects that the university is developing: enhancing local products. From natural yeast for breadmaking from whey to bioplastics, thanks to research, spin-off and start up are encouraged in the area.

 

Natural antioxidants: elixirs from different sources

Antonio Zuorro, from La Sapienza University, DICMA Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment illustrates how biochemical engineering is in everyday life: starting from the antioxidant substances that we could recover from the agro-industrial waste of the production of different foods from tomato to blueberry, from coffee to insects.

 

Hydrogen … which could come from waste

Prototype for the production of bio-hydrogen from waste, within the research carried out by the University La Sapienza of Rome by DICEA – Department of Chemical Engineering, Environment Materials.

 

THE MAKERS’ INNOVATION
ROBOTICS, INCREASED REALITY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SUPPORTING HEALTH

What does Artificial Intelligence mean today?
What are the useful uses for our daily life that the science and ingenuity of the Makers put in the field?
At the fair some projects developed in the field by scientific research and education for human health and well-being.

Descartes, the robot to keep somebody company. The artificial intelligence developed by the students of the IIS Gae Aulenti of Biella

Robotics, automation and augmented reality, enter the operating room at the service of medicine

 

 

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